USB outlet

Abstract

To provide a USB receptacle easy to improve the convenience.SOLUTION: A USB receptacle 10 includes: a connection part 2 connectable to a USB connector; a power supply circuit 11 that outputs a DC power to the connection part 2; a housing 3 accommodating the power supply circuit 11; and a cable 5 that electrically connects the connection part 2 and the power supply circuit 11. The housing 3 includes: a main housing 31 accommodating the power supply circuit 11, which is provided to an attachment object 81; and a sub-housing 32 independent from the main housing 31, which accommodates the connection part 2. The main housing 31 has a holding part 311 that removably holds the sub-housing 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to USB outlets, and more particularly to USB outlets to which a USB connector of a device can be connected. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a USB outlet having a USB socket into which a USB plug is inserted and connected. This USB outlet includes a printed wiring board on which the USB socket is mounted, and a housing that houses the printed wiring board and has a plug insertion hole through which the USB plug is inserted. The housing is fixed to an installation surface such as a wall. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-154802 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The challenge is to provide a USB outlet that is easy to use and convenient. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A USB outlet according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected, a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion, a housing that houses the power supply circuit, and a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit. The housing includes a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to which the power supply circuit is attached, and a sub-housing that is separate from the main housing and houses the connection portion. The main housing has a holding portion that removably holds the sub-housing. The holding portion holds the sub-housing in a manner that the entire cable is housed within the main housing. The connection portion is a USB plug. The holding part has a storage space that stores the sub-housing. The storage space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits. The USB outlet further includes a moving part that moves the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The moving part has a pair of arms that press the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The storage space has a bottom surface, and the bottom surface is provided with a pair of through holes that allow the pair of arms to pass through the interior of the storage space. A USB outlet according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected, a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion, a housing that houses the power supply circuit, and a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit. The housing includes a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to which the power supply circuit is attached, and a sub-housing that is separate from the main housing and houses the connection portion. The main housing has a holding portion that removably holds the sub-housing. The connection portion is a USB plug. The USB outlet further includes a winding device that is housed in the housing and winds up the cable. The holding part has a storage space that stores the sub-housing. The storage space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits. The USB outlet further includes a moving part that moves the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The moving part has a pair of arms that press the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The storage space has a bottom surface, and the bottom surface is provided with a pair of through holes that allow the pair of arms to pass through the interior of the storage space. A USB outlet according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected, a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion, a housing that houses the power supply circuit, and a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit. The housing includes a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to which the outlet is attached, and a sub-housing that is separate from the main housing and houses the connection portion. The main housing has a holding portion that removably holds the sub-housing. The holding portion holds the sub-housing in a state in which the cable is housed within the main housing. The connection portion is a USB plug. The holding portion has a storage space that houses the sub-housing. The holding portion holds the sub-housing so that the connection portion does not protrude outside the storage space. The storage space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits. The USB outlet further includes a moving unit that moves the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The moving unit has a pair of arms that press against the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the storage space. The storage space has a bottom surface, and a pair of through holes are provided in the bottom surface to allow the pair of arms to pass through into the storage space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the aspects of the present disclosure, there is an advantage in that it is possible to provide a USB outlet that can easily improve convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of use of a USB outlet according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the USB outlet, showing a state in which the sub-housing is pulled out from the main housing of the USB outlet. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a front view of the USB outlet. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mounting structure of the USB outlet to an object to which the USB outlet is mounted. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the USB outlet is attached to an attachment object. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram conceptually showing the USB outlet of the same. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the USB outlet. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the USB outlet. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a modified USB outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (1) Implementation form (1-1) Overview First, an overview of a USB (Universal Serial Bus) outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. FIG.

[0009] The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a device to which a USB connector 91 of a device 9 can be connected (see FIG. 1). The USB outlet 10 is a device that supplies power to the device 9 (such as a smartphone, for example) through the USB connector 91 when the USB connector 91 is connected. The device 9 uses the power supplied from the USB outlet 10 to charge, for example, a storage battery 92 (see FIG. 6) included in the device 9.

[0010] The USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment is a wiring device that is installed on an attachment object 81, such as a wall of a building. Like a general outlet that outputs AC voltages such as 100V or 200V, this USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a power source (such as a power grid) at all times and is basically always in a powered state. Therefore, by simply connecting a device 9 to the USB outlet 10, a user can supply power to the device 9 from the USB outlet 10 via a USB connector 91.

[0011] Here, with a general outlet device that outputs AC voltage such as 100V or 200V, when charging a device 9 such as a smartphone, it is necessary to use a power adapter that converts AC voltage to DC voltage in order to supply power to the device 9. In contrast, with the USB outlet 10 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to supply power to the device 9 by directly connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9 to the USB outlet 10 without using a power adapter. Therefore, with the USB outlet 10, it is possible to charge a device 9 such as a smartphone even if you do not have a power adapter, and furthermore, because a power adapter is not required, the area around the USB outlet 10 is neat and tidy.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment includes a connection portion 2 (first connection portion 21 and second connection portion 22) to which a USB connector 91 can be connected, a power supply circuit 11 that outputs DC power to the connection portion 2 (first connection portion 21 and second connection portion 22), and a housing 3 that houses the power supply circuit 11. The USB outlet 10 also includes a cable 5 (first cable 51 and second cable 52) that electrically connects the connection portion 2 (first connection portion 21 and second connection portion 22) and the power supply circuit 11. The housing 3 includes a main housing 31 that houses the power supply circuit 11 and is installed on the attachment target 81, and a sub-housing 32 (321, 322) that is separate from the main housing 31 and houses the connection portions 2 (21, 22). The main housing 31 has holders 311 (3111, 3112) that detachably hold the sub-housing 32 (321, 322).

[0013] According to this configuration, the connection unit 2 is electrically connected to the power supply circuit 11 via the cable 5. Therefore, even if there is a distance between the device 9 and the housing 3 of the USB outlet 10, the USB connector 91 of the device 9 can be connected to the connection unit 2 of the USB outlet 10. Therefore, in order to connect the device 9 to the USB outlet 10, it is not necessary to move the device 9 closer to the housing 3 of the USB outlet 10 or to use a connecting device such as an extension cable. Furthermore, the connection unit 2 can be pulled out from the main housing 31 only when necessary. As a result, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve convenience.

[0014] (1-2) Details The detailed configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0015] (1-2-1) Premise In this disclosure, "USB" refers to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, which is one of the serial bus standards. In this disclosure, "USB" includes various generations (transfer speed standards) of USB, such as USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, and USB 4. In addition, in this disclosure, the USB terminal shape (the shape of the connection portion 2 and the shape of the USB connector 91) includes various shapes. The USB terminal shape includes, for example, Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C, as well as mini USB and micro USB, and combinations thereof. In other words, the USB terminal shape includes, for example, mini USB Type-A and micro USB Type-B. In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the USB terminal shape is described as an A-type (USB Type-A) terminal. In this disclosure, the specifications for the USB terminal shape are sometimes referred to as the "USB connector standard," and the standard for the USB transfer speed is sometimes referred to as the "USB transfer standard."

[0016] The "USB connector of a device" in the present disclosure may be a connector that is integral with the device 9, or a connector that is provided at the end of a USB cable that can be connected to the device 9. In other words, the USB connector 91 of the device 9 includes a connector that is separate from the device 9 and that is attached to the device 9, such as a connector that is connected to the device 9 via a cable. Also, the "connector" in the present disclosure may be a "plug" that is inserted into a receptacle, or a "receptacle" into which a plug is inserted.

[0017] Similarly, the "connection part" referred to in this disclosure may be any structure capable of electrically connecting the USB connector 91 of the device 9, and may be a "receptacle" into which a plug is inserted, or a "plug" inserted into the receptacle.

[0018] In the present disclosure, a "device" refers to an electrical device (apparatus, facility, or system) that can be electrically connected to a USB outlet 10 and receives power from the USB outlet 10. Devices 9 include, for example, information terminals such as smartphones, tablet terminals, or wearable terminals, mobile batteries, mobile phones, cameras, fans, flashlights, or television sets. The USB outlet 10 supplies DC power by applying a DC voltage to the device 9, so the device 9 is a device compatible with DC input. Among these types of devices 9, devices 9 such as smartphones, tablet terminals, or wearable terminals include a storage battery 92 and have a function of charging the storage battery 92 using power supplied from the USB outlet 10. Hereinafter, a device 9 that has a function of charging the storage battery 92 may also be referred to as a "rechargeable device." In this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, a case will be described in which the device 9 connected to the USB outlet 10 is a rechargeable device 9.

[0019] In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is fixed to an attachment object 81. In this disclosure, the "attachment object" refers to a member to which the USB outlet 10 is fixed, and includes, for example, a structure such as a wall, ceiling, or floor of a building, or fixtures (including fittings) such as a desk, shelf, or counter. The USB outlet 10 is installed in, for example, a residential facility such as a detached house or apartment building, or a non-residential facility such as an office, store, school, factory, hospital, or nursing home. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is a built-in wiring device that is attached to an attachment object 81 that is a wall of a residential facility. In particular, it is assumed that the USB outlet 10 is an indoor wiring device used inside a building.

[0020] Hereinafter, the direction perpendicular (orthogonal) to the horizontal plane when the USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of the mounting object 81 (a residential facility) may be referred to as the "up-down direction" of the USB outlet 10. Also, the downward direction when viewing the USB outlet 10 from the front may be referred to as the "downward direction" of the USB outlet 10. A direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and parallel to the surface (wall surface) of the mounting object 81 may be referred to as the "left-right direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the right side when viewing the USB outlet 10 from the front may be referred to as the "right side" of the USB outlet 10, and the left side when viewing the USB outlet 10 from the front may be referred to as the "left side" of the USB outlet 10. Furthermore, a direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction, i.e., a direction perpendicular to the surface (wall surface) of the mounting object 81, may be referred to as the "front-rear direction" of the USB outlet 10, and the back side of the mounting object 81 (behind the wall) may be referred to as the "rear" of the USB outlet 10. However, these directions are not intended to limit the orientation of the USB outlet 10 when in use.

[0021] Furthermore, front surface 301 of housing 3 of USB outlet 10 basically faces forward when USB outlet 10 is fixed to the wall of a residential facility, which is attachment object 81. However, this does not mean that front surface 301 of housing 3 is limited to facing forward. For example, if USB outlet 10 is installed on the ceiling, front surface 301 of housing 3 faces downward.

[0022] Furthermore, in this disclosure, when comparing two values, "greater than or equal to" includes both the case where the two values ​​are equal and the case where one of the two values ​​exceeds the other. However, without being limited to this, "greater than or equal to" here may also be synonymous with "greater than," which includes only the case where one of the two values ​​exceeds the other. In other words, whether or not the case where the two values ​​are equal can be arbitrarily changed depending on the setting of the reference value, etc., so there is no technical difference between "greater than or equal to" and "greater than." Similarly, "less than" may also be synonymous with "less than or equal to."

[0023] (1-2-2) Configuration Next, the configuration of the USB outlet 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] As described above, in the present embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device that is attached to the attachment object 81, which is a wall of a residential facility. That is, the USB outlet 10 is a wiring device that is fixed to the attachment object 81 and is configured to be connectable to wiring L1 (see FIG. 6) that passes through the back side of the attachment object 81. In particular, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device in which the housing 3 is fixed to the attachment object 81 with at least a portion of the housing 3 embedded in a construction hole 82 (see FIG. 4) formed in the attachment object 81.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 6, the USB outlet 10 includes a plurality of (two in this case) connection units 2, a power supply circuit 11, a terminal unit 12, and a plurality of (two in this case) cables 5. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, the USB outlet 10 includes a plurality of (two in this case) winding devices 6 and a plurality of (two in this case) moving units 7. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, the USB outlet 10 includes a housing 3.

[0026] The multiple connection portions 2 are connectable to USB connectors. Each of the multiple connection portions 2 is used to electrically and mechanically connect a USB connector 91 of the device 9. Each of the multiple connection portions 2 includes a metal shell, contacts, etc. The multiple connection portions 2 may conform to the same USB connector standard or multiple different USB connector standards. In this embodiment, the multiple connection portions 2 conform to the same USB connector standard. Each of the multiple connection portions 2 may be either a receptacle or a plug. In this embodiment, the multiple connection portions 2 include a first connection portion 21 and a second connection portion 22. Here, the first connection portion 21 and the second connection portion 22 conform to the same A-terminal USB connector standard. However, the first connection portion 21 is a receptacle (USB receptacle) that can be connected to a USB plug, and the second connection portion 22 is a plug (USB plug) that can be connected to a USB receptacle.

[0027] The terminal portion 12 is used to connect the wiring L1. For example, when the wiring L1 routed inside a wall (the mounting object 81) is connected to the terminal portion 12, the USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a power source such as a system power supply via the wiring L1. The wiring L1 may be connected directly to the power source (such as a system power supply) or indirectly via a distribution board or the like. The terminal portion 12 includes a terminal plate or the like, and when the tip end (core wire) of the wiring L1 is inserted into the terminal hole, the terminal portion 12 mechanically holds the tip end (core wire) of the wiring L1 and electrically connects to the wiring L1. As an example in the present embodiment, the terminal portion 12 is a so-called quick-connect plug-in terminal to which the wiring L1 is connected simply by inserting the wiring L1 into the terminal hole.

[0028] In the present embodiment, as an example, the USB outlet 10 is electrically connected to a single-phase 100V, 60Hz commercial AC power supply (system power supply) via the wiring L1 by connecting the wiring L1 to the terminal unit 12. Here, the USB outlet 10 is connected to the AC power supply (system power supply) via a distribution board, and is always in a powered state as long as the breakers (main breaker and branch breakers) of the distribution board are in a conductive state. Therefore, the USB outlet 10 is basically always in a state where it can supply power to the device 9.

[0029] The power supply circuit 11 outputs DC power to the connection unit 2. The power supply circuit 11 includes a circuit board (printed wiring board) and various electronic components mounted on the circuit board. The power supply circuit 11 converts an AC voltage applied to the terminal unit 12 from an AC power supply (system power supply) into a DC voltage and outputs the DC voltage to the connection unit 2 through the cable 5. In this manner, the power supply circuit 11 supplies power to the device 9 from the connection unit 2. The power supply circuit 11 may include only one circuit board or may include multiple circuit boards. In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 11 includes an AC / DC conversion circuit that converts an AC voltage into a DC voltage. The power supply circuit 11 is inserted between the terminal unit 12 and the connection unit 2, and converts the AC voltage input from the terminal unit 12 into a DC voltage and outputs the DC voltage to the connection unit 2. Here, as an example, the power supply circuit 11 converts a 100 V AC voltage applied to the terminal unit 12 from the AC power supply (system power supply) into a 5 V DC voltage. As a result, the AC voltage of 100V input to the terminal section 12 is converted into a DC voltage of 5V by the power supply circuit 11, and the DC voltage of 5V is supplied to the connection section 2.

[0030] In this embodiment, a plurality of (here, two) connection parts 2 (first connection part 21 and second connection part 22) are connected to one power supply circuit 11. That is, the DC voltage output from the power supply circuit 11 is applied to both the first connection part 21 and the second connection part 22. This makes it possible to output the output of the power supply circuit 11 from a plurality of (here, two) connection parts 2 to the USB connectors 91 of the devices 9. Therefore, when the USB connectors 91 of a plurality of devices 9 are connected to the USB outlet 10, it is possible to supply power to these multiple devices 9 simultaneously.

[0031] In such a configuration, the sum of the currents (and power) output from the multiple connection parts 2 to the device 9 becomes the output current of one power supply circuit 11. Therefore, for example, the rated output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is determined by the sum of the output currents (or output power) of the multiple connection parts 2. The "rated output" referred to in this disclosure is the rated value of current and / or power, and is at least one of the rated current and the rated current. In other words, the rated value of the total output (current or power) of the multiple connection parts 2 is determined by the rated output (current or power) of the power supply circuit 11. As an example, if the rated output of the power supply circuit 11 is 4 A, the total output current of the multiple (here, two) connection parts 2 is rated at 4 A.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2 , the housing 3 includes a main housing 31 and a plurality of (here, two) sub-housings 32. The main housing 31 houses the power supply circuit 11, the terminal unit 12, a plurality of winding devices 6, and a plurality of moving units 7. The plurality of sub-housings 32 each house a plurality of connection units 2. In this embodiment, the plurality of sub-housings 32 include a first sub-housing 321 and a second sub-housing 322. Here, the first sub-housing 321 houses the first connection unit 21. Furthermore, the second sub-housing 322 houses the second connection unit 22.

[0033] The main housing 31 is placed on the mounting object 81. The main housing 31 is made of synthetic resin having electrical insulation properties. The main housing 31 is rectangular parallelepiped and is formed with dimensions similar to those of a wiring fixture with three module dimensions. The main housing 31 has a front surface 310 that is exposed forward when the main housing 31 is mounted on the mounting object 81. Here, the front surface 310 of the main housing 31 is rectangular in shape with the vertical dimension greater than the horizontal dimension. The front surface 310 of the main housing 31 also constitutes the front surface 301 of the housing 3.

[0034] 2, the main housing 31 has a plurality of (here, two) holding portions 311. The plurality of holding portions 311 are arranged vertically on the front surface 310. In this embodiment, the plurality of holding portions 311 include a first holding portion 3111 and a second holding portion 3112. Here, the first holding portion 3111 is located above the second holding portion 3112.

[0035] The multiple holding portions 311 are formed to removably hold the multiple sub-housings 32, respectively. The holding portion 311 has an accommodation space 311a that accommodates the sub-housing 32. The accommodation space 311a is located on the front surface 310 of the main housing 31. Specifically, the accommodation space 311a is a recess into which the sub-housing 32 fits. The holding portion 311 holds the sub-housing 32 so that the connection portion 2 is exposed on the front surface 310 of the main housing 31. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the accommodation space 311a is a recess large enough to accommodate the entire sub-housing 32. However, the accommodation space 311a is designed to have dimensions such that the sub-housing 32 fits into the accommodation space 311a when the sub-housing 32 is accommodated in the accommodation space 311a. In this embodiment, the first holding portion 3111 removably holds the first sub-housing 321. The second holding portion 3112 removably holds the second sub-housing 322. 2, a first through hole 312 and a pair of second through holes 313 are formed in the bottom surface of the accommodation space 311a. Here, the first through hole 312 is located between the pair of second through holes 313 in the width direction of the main housing 31. The first through hole 312 is large enough to pass the cable 5 through.

[0036] 2, the main housing 31 has a plurality of (here, two) operation holes 314. The operation holes 314 are lined up vertically on the front surface 310. The operation holes 314 are located near a plurality of holding portions 311. In this embodiment, the two operation holes 314 are located on the front surface 310 of the main housing 31 such that the two holding portions 311 are located between the two operation holes 314.

[0037] As described above, the terminal portion 12 is housed in the main housing 31. Here, a terminal hole for connecting the wiring L1 is formed on the rear surface of the main housing 31. The terminal portion 12 is disposed in the main housing 31 at a position corresponding to the terminal hole.

[0038] The multiple sub-housings 32 (first sub-housing 321 and second sub-housing 322) are separate from the main housing 31. The first sub-housing 321 and second sub-housing 322 are made of electrically insulating synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 2, the first sub-housing 321 is rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and is sized to fit within the accommodation space 311a of the first holding portion 3111 of the main housing 31. The second sub-housing 322 is rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and is sized to fit within the accommodation space 311a of the second holding portion 3112 of the main housing 31. As described above, the sub-housings 32 (first sub-housing 321, second sub-housing 322) accommodate the connection portion 2 (first connection portion 21, second connection portion 22).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the sub-housing 32 has an opening 4 on its front surface 320. The opening 4 exposes the connection portion 2. Therefore, the connection portion 2 is located on the front surface 320 of the sub-housing 32. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the sub-housing 32 is held by the holder 311 at a position where the front surface 320 of the sub-housing 32 is flush with the front surface 310 of the main housing 31. In other words, the holder 311 holds the sub-housing 32 at a position where the front surface 320 of the sub-housing 32 is flush with the front surface 310 of the main housing 31. In particular, the opening 4 of the first sub-housing 321 exposes the first connection portion 21. In this embodiment, the first connection portion 21 is a USB receptacle that complies with the standard for an A-terminal USB connector. Therefore, the opening 4 of the first sub-housing 321 is a hole of a size that allows an A-terminal USB plug to be connected to the first connection portion 21. The opening 4 of the second sub-housing 322 exposes the second connection portion 22. In this embodiment, the second connection portion 22 is a USB plug that complies with the standard of an A-terminal USB connector. Therefore, the opening 4 of the second sub-housing 322 is a hole large enough to allow the second connection portion 22 to protrude to the outside. The sub-housing 32 also has a through-hole on its rear surface large enough to pass the cable 5 through.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 6 , the multiple cables 5 electrically connect the multiple connection parts 2 and the power supply circuit 11. The cables 5 are insulated wires. The cables 5 are flexible. The length of the cables 5 is not particularly limited. For example, the length of the cables 5 may be in the range of 10 cm to 5 m. In this embodiment, the multiple cables 5 include a first cable 51 and a second cable 52. The first cable 51 electrically connects the first connection part 21 and the power supply circuit 11. More specifically, a first end of the first cable 51 is disposed in the first sub-housing 321 using a through-hole on the back surface of the first sub-housing 321 and is electrically connected to the first connection part 21. A second end of the first cable 51 is disposed in the main housing 31 using a first through-hole 312 of the first holding part 3111 and is electrically connected to the power supply circuit 11. The second cable 52 electrically connects the second connection part 22 and the power supply circuit 11. More specifically, a first end of the second cable 52 is disposed inside the second sub-housing 322 using a through-hole on the back surface of the second sub-housing 322, and is electrically connected to the second connection portion 22. A second end of the second cable 52 is disposed inside the main housing 31 using the first through-hole 312 of the second holding portion 3112, and is electrically connected to the power supply circuit 11.

[0041] Each of the multiple winding devices 6 is a device that winds up the cable 5. Each winding device 6 includes a cylindrical body around which the cable 5 is wound, and a rotation device that rotates the cylindrical body around its central axis to wind up the cable 5. The rotation device may be configured to start winding up the cable 5 when the cable 5 has been pulled out from the main housing 31 by a predetermined length or more. In this embodiment, the multiple winding devices 6 are housed in the main housing 31. The multiple winding devices 6 include a first winding device 61 and a second winding device 62. The first winding device 61 corresponds to the first cable 51. The second winding device 62 corresponds to the second cable 52.

[0042] Each of the multiple moving units 7 is a device that moves the sub-housing 32 outward from the accommodation space 311a. Each moving unit 7 includes an operation button 701, a pair of arms 702, and a drive mechanism. The operation button 701 is arranged so as to be able to be pressed through the operation hole 314 of the main housing 31. The pair of arms 702 are arranged so as to be able to protrude into the accommodation space 311a through a pair of second through-holes 313 of the holding unit 311. That is, the arm 702 is movable between a first position (see FIG. 7) where it does not protrude into the accommodation space 311a through the second through-hole 313, and a second position (see FIG. 8) where it protrudes into the accommodation space 311a through the second through-hole 313. The drive mechanism moves each of the pair of arms 702 from the first position to the second position when the operation button 701 is pressed. 7 and 8, the moving unit 7 presses the sub-housing 32 with the arm 702, moving the sub-housing 32 outward from the accommodation space 311a. After the arm 702 has moved from the first position to the second position in response to the pressing of the operation button 701, the driving mechanism may automatically return the arm 702 from the second position to the first position. Alternatively, when the arm 702 has moved from the second position to the first position, the driving mechanism may hold the arm 702 at the first position. In this embodiment, the multiple moving units 7 include a first moving unit 71 and a second moving unit 72. The first moving unit 71 corresponds to the first sub-housing 321. The second moving unit 72 corresponds to the second sub-housing 322. That is, when the operation button 701 of the first mover 71 located near the first holder 3111 is pressed, the arm 702 of the first mover 71 pushes the first sub-housing 321 outward from the accommodation space 311a of the first holder 3111. When the operation button 701 of the second mover 72 located near the second holder 3112 is pressed, the arm 702 of the second mover 72 pushes the second sub-housing 322 outward from the accommodation space 311a of the second holder 3112. In this way, the mover 7 makes it easy to remove the sub-housing 32 from the accommodation space 311a. The mover 7 may be configured to move the sub-housing 32 using electric power. In this case, the mover 7 may move the sub-housing 32 using DC power output from the power supply circuit 11. Alternatively, the mover 7 may be configured to move the sub-housing 32 using a force applied by the user.

[0043] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the housing 3 is removably attached to a mounting frame 84 that secures the housing 3 to an attachment object 81. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 3, an outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84. Here, in this embodiment, the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10. However, it is not essential that the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are not included as components of the USB outlet 10, and at least one of the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 may be included as components of the USB outlet 10.

[0044] In this embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is a recessed wiring device as described above, and is therefore attached to an attachment object 81 (here, a wall) using an attachment member 83 such as a recessed switch box. That is, an installation hole 82 is formed in the attachment object 81, and the USB outlet 10 is attached through the installation hole 82 to an attachment member 83 such as a switch box that is arranged on the back side of the attachment object 81 (behind the wall).

[0045] The mounting frame 84 is, for example, a mounting frame for a large rectangular interconnection device standardized by the Japanese Industrial Standards. Specifically, the mounting frame 84 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. The housing 3 is attached to the mounting frame 84 so that the housing 3 is located inside the mounting frame 84.

[0046] The mounting frame 84 is made of synthetic resin, for example. A pair of mounting holes 841 and a pair of plate fixing holes 842 are formed in the mounting frame 84. A pair of mounting screws 843 is passed through the pair of mounting holes 841 and fastened to a mounting member 83 such as a switch box, thereby mounting the mounting frame 84 to the mounting object 81.

[0047] The outlet plate 8 has a decorative plate 85 and a fixed plate 86. That is, in this embodiment, the outlet plate 8 is composed of two members, the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86. The outlet plate 8 (the decorative plate 85 and the fixed plate 86) is made of, for example, a synthetic resin.

[0048] The fixing plate 86 is fixed to the mounting frame 84. The decorative plate 85 is attached to the fixing plate 86 so as to cover the front surface of the fixing plate 86. In this way, the decorative plate 85 is indirectly fixed to the mounting frame 84 to which the housing 3 is attached via the fixing plate 86. A window hole 801 is formed in the decorative plate 85, and when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting frame 84, the front surface 301 of the housing 3 is exposed through the window hole 801.

[0049] That is, the outlet plate 8 is a frame-shaped member having a window hole 801, and is combined with the mounting frame 84 so that the front surface 301 of the housing 3 is exposed through the window hole 801. In other words, when the mounting frame 84 and the outlet plate 8 are combined, the front surface 301 of the housing 3 is located inside (inside the window hole 801) of the outlet plate 8 (decorative plate 85) in a front view. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5 , when the outlet plate 8 is attached to the mounting object 81 together with the housing 3, the outlet plate 8 covers the periphery of the housing 3, and the mounting frame 84, construction holes 82, etc. are not exposed, resulting in a good appearance.

[0050] More specifically, the decorative plate 85 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. A window hole 801 penetrating the decorative plate 85 in the front-to-rear direction is formed in the center of the decorative plate 85. The decorative plate 85 is mechanically coupled to the fixing plate 86 in a removable state using a snap-fit ​​structure. That is, the decorative plate 85 and the fixing plate 86 are mechanically coupled by utilizing the elasticity of at least one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixing plate 86 to hook a claw of one of the decorative plate 85 and the fixing plate 86 into a hole of the other.

[0051] The fixing plate 86 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front. A pair of through holes 861 is also formed in the fixing plate 86. The fixing plate 86 is attached to the mounting frame 84 by fastening a pair of fixing screws 844 through the pair of through holes 861 into a pair of plate fixing holes 842 of the mounting frame 84.

[0052] (2) Variations The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. The figures described in this disclosure are schematic diagrams, and the ratios of the size and thickness of each component in each figure do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratios. Furthermore, functions equivalent to the USB outlet 10 according to the above embodiment may be embodied as a method, a (computer) program, a non-transitory recording medium on which a program is recorded, or the like.

[0053] Modifications of the above embodiment are listed below. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

[0054] In the above embodiment, all of the multiple connection units 2 comply with the A-terminal USB connector standard. In one variation, all of the multiple connection units 2 may comply with the C-terminal USB connector standard, or may comply with multiple USB connector standards. The multiple USB connector standards may be appropriately selected from, for example, A-terminal (Type-A), B-terminal (Type-B), C-terminal (Type-C), mini USB, micro USB, etc.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the multiple connection parts 2 include a receptacle and a plug. However, the multiple connection parts 2 may all be receptacles or all be plugs. Each of the multiple connection parts 2 may be selected from a plug and a receptacle.

[0056] In one variant, the number of connections 2 is not limited to two. The USB outlet 10 may have at least one connection 2.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the main housing 31 of the housing 3 has approximately the same dimensions as a wiring fixture with three modules, but it may also have approximately the same dimensions as a wiring fixture with two modules or one module. Also, in the above embodiment, the connection unit 2 is arranged horizontally (horizontally long) when the sub-housing 32 is held by the holding unit 311 of the main housing 31, but in one modified example, it may be arranged vertically (vertically long). In other words, the orientation of the connection unit 2 is not particularly limited.

[0058] Furthermore, the USB outlet 10 may be attached to the attachment object 81 via a mounting frame 84 together with an additional device, as long as the housing 3 has dimensions similar to those of a two-module or one-module wiring device. Examples of the additional device include an outlet device and a sensor device. The outlet device may be, for example, an outlet device that outputs 100V AC. Examples of the sensor device include a motion sensor, a brightness sensor, a vibration sensor, a proximity sensor, a sound sensor, or a combination thereof. The USB outlet 10 may operate based on the output of the sensor device. For example, if the sensor device is a motion sensor, the USB outlet 10 turns off power to the connection portion 2 if no person is present nearby.

[0059] The shape of the sub-housing 32 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the sub-housing 32A may have a protrusion 320a. The protrusion 320a protrudes laterally from the periphery of the front surface 320 of the sub-housing 32A. The protrusion 320a is larger than the accommodation space 311a of the holder 311. Therefore, the protrusion 320a does not enter the accommodation space 311a of the holder 311. Therefore, the protrusion 320a can be used to pull the sub-housing 32A out of the accommodation space 311a of the holder 311 of the main housing 31. The sub-housing 32 does not necessarily have to be rectangular, but can be a circular or polygonal box.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is not limited to indoor use, but may be outdoor use. Outdoor USB outlets are appropriately provided with a rainproof (drip-proof) structure or the like.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the device 9 is described as a rechargeable device, but this is not the only example, and it is also possible to connect a non-rechargeable device (a device other than a rechargeable device) to the USB outlet 10.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the USB outlet 10 is not limited to a recessed wiring device. That is, the USB outlet 10 may be an "exposed" wiring device that is disposed so that the entirety of the USB outlet 10 is exposed from the surface of the attachment object 81, such as a wall. In this case, the USB outlet 10 is attached to the attachment object 81 using an exposed switch box instead of a recessed one. The USB outlet 10 may also be attached to the attachment object 81 using an attachment member other than a switch box, such as a clamp.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the attachment of the housing 3 to the mounting frame 84 is not an essential component of the USB outlet 10, and for example, the housing 3 may be integrated with the mounting frame 84. Furthermore, the attachment of the outlet plate 8 to the mounting frame 84 is not an essential component of the USB outlet 10, and the outlet plate 8 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0064] In the above embodiment, multiple connection parts 2 are connected to one power supply circuit 11, but this configuration is not essential for the USB outlet 10, and a separate power supply circuit 11 may be provided for each of the multiple connection parts 2. In other words, the USB outlet 10 may include multiple connection parts 2 and multiple power supply circuits 11 that correspond one-to-one to the multiple connection parts 2. In this case, power is supplied to each of the multiple connection parts 2 from a separate power supply circuit 11, and therefore the rated output (current or power) is also specified individually for each connection part 2.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the accommodation space 311a of the holder 311 does not necessarily have to be a recess into which the sub-housing 32 fits, but may be a space that can accommodate the sub-housing 32. In other words, the sub-housing 32 may simply be placed in the accommodation space 311a. Furthermore, the holder 311 may have, in addition to the accommodation space 311a, a door that closes the accommodation space 311a.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the holding portion 311 does not necessarily have to have the accommodation space 311a. The holding portion 311 may be a recess into which a protrusion provided on the sub-housing 32 fits. Conversely, the holding portion 311 may be a protrusion that fits into a recess provided on the sub-housing 32. Furthermore, the holding portion 311 may hold the sub-housing 32 by a permanent magnet, adhesive, or the like.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the holding portion 311 holds the sub-housing 32 at a position where the front surface 320 of the sub-housing 32 is flush with the front surface 310 of the main housing 31, but the sub-housing 32 may be held behind this position. In the above embodiment, the holding portion 3111 holds the sub-housing 321 so that the connection portion 21 does not protrude beyond the accommodation space 311a. In one variation, the holding portion 3112 may similarly hold the sub-housing 322 so that the connection portion 22 does not protrude beyond the accommodation space 311a. In other words, the holding portion 3112 may hold the sub-housing 322 so that the tip of the connection portion 22 is within the accommodation space 311a.

[0068] The winding device 6 is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and any conventionally known configuration may be adopted as long as it is capable of winding up the cable 5. Furthermore, the winding device 6 is not essential. In other words, the cable 5 may be always exposed, and does not necessarily have to be retractable within the main housing 31.

[0069] The moving unit 7 is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and any conventionally known configuration may be adopted as long as it is capable of moving the sub-housing 32 from the accommodation space 311a to the outside. Also, the moving unit 7 is not essential.

[0070] (3) Mode The first aspect is a USB outlet (10) comprising: a connection portion (2, 21, 22) to which a USB connector (91) can be connected; a power supply circuit (11) that outputs DC power to the connection portion (2, 21, 22); and a housing (3) that houses the power supply circuit (11). The USB outlet (10) further comprises cables (5, 51, 52) that electrically connect the connection portion (2, 21, 22) and the power supply circuit (11). The housing (3) comprises a main housing (31) that houses the power supply circuit (11) and is installed on an attachment object (81), and sub-housings (32, 321, 322) that are separate from the main housing (31) and house the connection portion (2, 21, 22). The main housing (31) has holders (311, 3111, 3112) that detachably hold the sub-housings (32, 321, 322). According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet (10) that is easy to improve convenience.

[0071] A second aspect is a USB outlet 10 based on the first aspect. In the second aspect, the USB outlet 10 further includes a winding device 6, 61, 62 housed in the housing 3 and winding the cable 5, 51, 52. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that can adjust the length of the cable 5 and can easily improve convenience.

[0072] A third aspect is a USB outlet (10) based on the first or second aspect. In the third aspect, the holders (311, 3111, 3112) have a housing space (311a) that houses the sub-housings (32, 321, 322). This aspect makes it possible to provide a USB outlet (10) that is easy to improve convenience.

[0073] The fourth aspect is a USB outlet 10 based on the third aspect. In the fourth aspect, the housing space 311a is a recess into which the sub-housing 32, 321, 322 fits. This aspect makes it possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve convenience.

[0074] A fifth aspect is a USB outlet (10) based on the fourth aspect. In the fifth aspect, the storage space (311a) is located on the front surface (310) of the main housing (31). The holding portions (311, 3111, 3112) hold the sub-housings (32, 321, 322) so that the connection portions (2, 21, 22) are exposed on the front surface (310) of the main housing (31). This aspect provides a USB outlet (10) that is easy to improve in terms of convenience.

[0075] A sixth aspect is a USB outlet (10) based on the fifth aspect. In the sixth aspect, the connection portion (2, 21, 22) is located on the front surface (320) of the sub-housing (32, 321, 322). The holding portion (311, 3111, 3112) holds the sub-housing (32, 321, 322) at a position where the front surface (320) of the sub-housing (32, 321, 322) is flush with the front surface (310) of the main housing (31) or behind that position. This aspect reduces the possibility of the sub-housing (32, 321, 322) unintentionally falling off the main housing (31).

[0076] A seventh aspect is a USB outlet (10) based on any one of the third to sixth aspects. In the seventh aspect, the holding portions (311, 3111, 3112) hold the sub-housings (32, 321, 322) so that the connection portions (2, 21, 22) do not protrude beyond the accommodation space (311a). According to this aspect, the connection portions (2, 21, 22) are protected.

[0077] An eighth aspect is a USB outlet (10) based on any one of the third to seventh aspects. In the eighth aspect, the USB outlet (10) further includes a moving portion (7, 71, 72) that moves the sub-housing (32, 321, 322) outward from the accommodation space (311a). This aspect can facilitate removal of the sub-housing (32, 321, 322) from the main housing (31).

[0078] A ninth aspect is a USB outlet 10 based on any one of the first to eighth aspects. In the ninth aspect, the connection part 22 is a USB plug. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve convenience.

[0079] A tenth aspect is a USB outlet 10 based on any one of the first to eighth aspects. In the tenth aspect, the connection part 21 is a USB receptacle. According to this aspect, it is possible to provide a USB outlet 10 that is easy to improve convenience.

[0080] The configurations according to the second to tenth aspects are not essential for the USB outlet (10) and can be omitted as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10 USB outlets 11 Power circuit 2 Connection 21 First connection part (connection part) 22 Second connection part (connection part) 3. Housing 31 Main housing 310 Front 311 Holding part 3111 First holding part (holding part) 3112 Second holding part (holding part) 311a Containment Space 32 Sub-chassis 321 1st Sub-Housing (Sub-Housing) 322 Second Sub-Housing (Sub-Housing) 4,41,42 aperture 5 Cable 51 First Cable (Cable) 52 Second Cable (Cable) 6 Winding device 61 First winding device (winding device) 62 Second winding device (winding device) 7, 71, 72 Moving parts 81 Mounting object 91 USB connector

Claims

1. a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected; a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion; a housing that houses the power supply circuit; a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit; Equipped with The housing includes: a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to be attached; a sub-casing that is separate from the main casing and that houses the connection portion; Including, the main housing has a holding portion that detachably holds the sub-housing, the holding portion holds the sub-housing in a manner in which the entire cable is housed within the main housing; the connection part is a USB plug, the holding portion has an accommodation space for accommodating the sub-housing, the accommodation space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits, a moving unit that moves the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, the moving section has a pair of arms that press the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, The storage space has a bottom surface, and a pair of through holes is provided in the bottom surface to allow the pair of arms to pass through the storage space, respectively. USB outlet.

2. a connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected; a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion; a housing that houses the power supply circuit; a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit; Equipped with The housing includes: a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to be attached; a sub-casing that is separate from the main casing and that houses the connection portion; Including, the main housing has a holding portion that detachably holds the sub-housing, the connection part is a USB plug, a winding device housed in the housing for winding the cable; the holding portion has an accommodation space for accommodating the sub-housing, the accommodation space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits, a moving unit that moves the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, the moving section has a pair of arms that press the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, The storage space has a bottom surface, and a pair of through holes is provided in the bottom surface to allow the pair of arms to pass through the storage space, respectively. USB outlet.

3. The holding portion holds the sub-housing so that the connection portion does not extend outside the accommodation space.

3. The USB outlet of claim 1 or 2.

4. A connection portion to which a USB connector can be connected; a power supply circuit that outputs DC power to the connection portion; a housing that houses the power supply circuit; a cable that electrically connects the connection portion and the power supply circuit; Equipped with The housing includes: a main housing that houses the power supply circuit and is installed on an object to be attached; a sub-casing that is separate from the main casing and that houses the connection portion; Including, the main housing has a holding portion that detachably holds the sub-housing, the holding portion holds the sub-housing in a state in which the cable is housed within the main housing, the connection part is a USB plug, the holding portion has an accommodation space for accommodating the sub-housing, the holding portion holds the sub-housing so that the connection portion does not protrude outward from the accommodation space; the accommodation space is a recess into which the sub-housing fits, a moving unit that moves the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, the moving section has a pair of arms that press the sub-housing to move the sub-housing outward from the accommodation space, The storage space has a bottom surface, and a pair of through holes is provided in the bottom surface to allow the pair of arms to pass through the storage space, respectively. USB outlet.

5. The storage space is located in the front of the main housing, the holding portion holds the sub-housing so that the connection portion is exposed on the front surface of the main housing. A USB outlet according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The connection portion is located on the front surface of the sub-housing, the holding portion holds the sub-housing at a position where the front surface of the sub-housing is flush with the front surface of the main housing or behind that position.

6. The USB outlet of claim 5.

7. The bottom surface is provided with a first through hole through which the cable passes, The first through hole is located between a pair of second through holes that are the pair of through holes. The USB outlet according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. In addition to the connection part being the USB plug, the device further includes a connection part being a USB receptacle. A USB outlet according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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