Portable power supply device

Abstract

To disclose a technoligy that can neatly keep a power supply cable when not used, in a portable feeding device used while being attached to a table.SOLUTION: A feeding device 1 has a base body 3 placed on a floor, a strut 4 that is raised from an edge portion of the base body 3, and an arm 5 that horizontally extends from an upper end of the strut 4 to enter an upper part of a table 2. An outlet unit 6 is disposed inside the arm 5. A power supply cable 11 connected to the outlet unit 6 is drawn out to below the base body 3 through the inside of the strut 4, and is wound in recessed grooves 12 formed in a group of grounding bodies 10 when the portable feeding device is not used. On an inward surface of each grounding body 10, a dummy insertion port 14 is provide which is connected to the power supply cable 11 and in which a plug 13 can be inserted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable power supply device (power strip unit) used in offices and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Electronic and electrical devices such as notebook computers and projectors are widely used in various places such as offices, homes, and stores, and these electronic and electrical devices are generally powered from power outlets. As forms of power outlets, there are fixed types installed on walls, table tap types installed on extension cords, or types fixedly installed on furniture such as desks and partitions.

[0003] Now, as a working style in recent offices, the free address method without a fixed seat has been spreading. However, in this free address working style, since the tables tend to prioritize flexibility and use simple types, table taps are often used as the power source for notebook computers. However, having the cable crawl on the floor is a problem in terms of aesthetics and walking safety, so the cable is drawn out from a false floor and a table tap is connected to the tip. In this method, there are problems such as poor flexibility because the table tap is placed on the floor and it does not look good.

[0004] Therefore, a portable power supply device that can stand on the floor and be carried anywhere has been proposed. As an example, Patent Document 1 discloses a stand type in which a square telescopic mast is erected on a circular base body and power outlets are provided on the side surface of the mast that moves up and down.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The outlet unit of the portable power supply device is connected to a power cable that connects to an external power source, and Figure 1 of Patent Document 1 shows the table 2 pulled outwards from the bottom surface of the base body. Therefore, it is thought that the power cable is pulled out from inside the mast to the bottom surface of the base body and then outwards from the base body.

[0007] In offices, external power outlets are installed on the walls of the building, or power cables are routed from raised floors and connected to external power outlets. However, portable power supply units are often located far from external power sources, so the power cables attached to these units are quite long. Therefore, it would be desirable to be able to neatly bundle the power cables when the portable power supply unit is not in use or when an external power outlet is nearby, but Patent Document 1 does not disclose any such solutions.

[0008] This invention was made against the backdrop of the current situation, and aims to disclose a technology for neatly managing power cables in a portable power supply device that can be conveniently carried anywhere. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention includes various configurations, and typical examples are specified in each claim. The portable power supply device according to claim 1 is "It rests stably on the floor surface" Circular in plan view A base body and a hollow support rising from the base body. It comprises a column and a power supply unit provided at the upper end of the support column, A power cable winding member is provided on the lower surface of the base body, with its downward orientation exposed. A portable power supply device, The base body is formed in a circular shape when viewed from above, and the power cable winding is located on the lower surface of the base body. Multiple grounding bodies, which also serve as grounding members, are arranged in a circumferentially separated manner, and each of the grounding members A groove for power cables is formed on the outer surface of the ground structure. " This is the structure.

[0012] Claim 2 The invention is claimed 1 In, "Each of the grounding bodies has an inward-facing side surface into which a plug connected to the power cable can be inserted." This is the structure.

[0013] Claim 3 The invention is claimed 1 or 2 This is an example of its development, "The outer surface of each of the aforementioned contact bodies has an arc shape when viewed from above, and the group of contact bodies as a whole has a shape close to a disc." This is the structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] In this invention, a power cable winding member is provided on the underside of the base body, so even long power cables can be held in a bundled state at the underside of the base body. Therefore, when the portable power supply device is not in use or is placed near an external outlet, there is no need to bundle the power cable and tie it with a band, or to wind it multiple times and tie it with a band, and the power cable can be neatly managed. Furthermore, since the power cable winding member is exposed at the bottom, the power cable can be quickly wound up and unwound without the hassle of removing a cover each time.

[0015] The power cable winding component can be provided as a component that only has the function of winding the power cable, The present invention Using the grounding element as a power cable winding component, as shown here, has the advantage of simplifying the structure. Furthermore, the grounding element is usually located on the outer periphery of the base body for stable support. This means the groove of the grounding element opens outwards towards the base body, and there are no obstacles outside of it, allowing for quick winding and unwinding of the power cable.

[0016] The grounding body can also be configured as a ring body that is continuously uninterrupted in the circumferential direction. However, The present invention if the grounding body is separated into a plurality as shown in, even if there are irregularities on the floor, it can be placed stably, and not only that, but it is also possible to draw the power cable inward from between adjacent grounding bodies and insert it into the inside of the column. Therefore, the wiring for the column can also be done neatly.

[0017] Also, since the power supply device of the present invention is portable, by grasping the lower part of the column with one hand and exposing the bottom of the base body to the side, and moving the hand around the axis of the column while holding the power cable with the other hand, the power cable can be easily wound up and rewound. However, The present invention if the base body is formed in a circular shape as shown in, the hand can be moved quickly in a circular motion, so there is an advantage that the winding up and rewinding can be done quickly.

[0018] The power cable needs to be held in a state of being wound around the power cable winding member (grounding body). As a means for this, it is conceivable to insert it between the power cable and the base body at the gap between adjacent power cable winding members (grounding bodies). However, in this case, the plug may fall off and the stability is lacking. In contrast, when the configuration of claim 2 is adopted, by inserting the plug into the dummy insertion port of the power cable winding member, the power cable can be surely held in a wound state.

[0019] Claim 3 In the configuration of, since the power cable can be bent smoothly, there will be no kinks that appear when it is bent in the pulled-out state. Therefore, there is an advantage that it looks good in the state of use of the portable power supply device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing the first embodiment. (A) is an overall perspective view of the state of use of the power supply device, (B) is a side view taken along the line B-B of (A), and (C) is a plan view. [Figure 2](A) is a perspective view of the power supply device seen from below, (B) is a bottom view, (C) is a cross-sectional view of (A) from the CC perspective, and (D) is a downward perspective view of another example. [Figure 3] (A) is a perspective view with the support column separated, and (B) is a perspective view with the joint also separated. [Figure 4] These diagrams are primarily intended to explain the joints; (A) is a separated perspective view seen from above, and (B) is a separated perspective view seen from below. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] (1).Basic structure Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the power supply device 1 is used by being placed on the outer periphery of the table 2 (generally the left or right short side), and comprises a circular, plate-shaped base body 3 that rests on the floor, a support column 4 rising from the edge of the base body 3, and an arm 5 that is bent horizontally from the upper end of the support column 4. The support column 4 is set to a height higher than the upper surface of the tabletop 2a of the table 2, and the arm 5 extends in a position that divides the base body 3 in two when viewed from above.

[0022] Therefore, by inserting the base body 3 into the interior of the table 2, the arm 5 can be positioned above the top surface of the table 2. As shown in Figure 1(C), the dimensions of the arm 5 are set so that, in a plan view, the tip does not protrude outside the base body 3. The base body 3 is made of metal plate or synthetic resin.

[0023] In the following, the terms front / back and left / right are used to specify direction, but the longitudinal direction of arm 5 is defined as the front / back direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of arm 5 is defined as the left / right direction. The front and back are defined as the side with the free end of arm 5 and the side with the support column 4.

[0024] The support column 4 and the arm 5 are integrally formed by bending a steel square pipe into an L-shape, and the outlet unit 6 shown in Figure 1(C) is built into the inside of the arm 5. The tip of the arm 5 is closed with a cap 7. The outlet unit 6 is a four-outlet type, and four square openings 8 are formed on the upper surface of the arm 5. Upward-facing projections 6a formed on the outlet unit 6 are fitted into the openings 8, and a pair of sockets 6b are formed on each projection 6a. Note that the structure of the outlet unit 6 is not directly related to the present invention, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(C), an inward-facing rib 9 is formed on the inner corner surface of the corner where the arm 5 and the support column 4 are connected, extending from the base end of the arm 5 towards the upper end of the support column 4.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(B), four ground contact bodies 10 are arranged circumferentially on the lower surface of the base body 3 and are fixed to the base body 3 by means of screws, adhesive, or other means. The ground contact bodies 10 are made of synthetic resin, and their outward-facing surfaces are formed in an arc shape with a radius of curvature slightly smaller than that of the outer surface of the base body 3, while their inward-facing surfaces, which face the center of the base body 3, are formed as flat surfaces.

[0027] Furthermore, the outward-facing surface of the grounding body 10 has a groove 12 into which the power cable 11 can be wound, and the inward-facing surface has a pair of dummy sockets 14 into which the terminals of a plug 13 connected to one end of the power cable 11 can be inserted. Therefore, when the power supply device 1 is not in use, the power cable 11 is kept in a state where it cannot be unraveled by winding the power cable 11 into the groove 12 of the group of grounding bodies 10 and connecting the plug 13 to one of the dummy sockets 14 of the grounding body 10.

[0028] The grounding body 10 is made of synthetic resin, but has a certain thickness, so numerous ribs 15 extending in the circumferential and radial directions are formed to reduce weight while maintaining thickness. Also, as shown in Figure 2(A), the inward-facing side portion of the grounding body 10 is curved outward on both sides of the dummy insertion opening 14, and a cable receiving portion 10a on which the power cable 11 can be placed is provided at the lower end of this curved portion. The cable receiving portion 10a is provided with an upward-facing weir 10b to prevent the power cable 11 from slipping off.

[0029] The number of grounding bodies 10 can be set arbitrarily. In the modified example shown in Figure 2(D), eight grounding bodies 10 are arranged in the circumferential direction. By reducing the number of grounding bodies 10, the length of the groove 12 can be increased, allowing the winding device consisting of the group of grounding bodies 10 to be formed in a shape closer to a drum. There is a small gap 16 between adjacent grounding bodies 10. When using the power supply device 1, the power cable 11 can be pulled out to the outside through the gap 16 between adjacent grounding bodies 10.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2(A), (B), and (D), the lower part of the support column 4 of the base body 3 has a cable insertion hole 17 that penetrates vertically. The cable insertion hole 17 opens into the gap 16 between two adjacent grounding bodies 10.

[0031] (2) Connection structure of the support posts As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support column 4 is connected to the base body 3 via a pair of overlapping front and rear joints 20. Specifically, the joints 20 are fixed to the base body 3 by screwing upward-facing screws 21, which are inserted into the base body 3 from below, into the joints 20, and the support column 4 is fixed to the joints 20 by screwing sideways-facing screws 22, which are inserted into the support column 4 from the side, into the joints 20.

[0032] Therefore, the base body 3 and the support column 4 each have screw insertion holes 23 and 24, and the joint 20 has a vertically elongated female screw hole 25 into which an upward-facing screw 21 is screwed, and a horizontally elongated female screw hole 26 into which a horizontally-facing screw 22 is screwed.

[0033] The joints 20 are formed in a box shape and, when overlapped, present a block-like appearance. Long, vertically elongated engaging projections 27 and engaging grooves 28 are formed on the longitudinal edges where they overlap. Although a pair of joints 20 have the same structure, the engaging projections 27 of one joint 20 and the engaging grooves 28 of the other joint 20 fit together, so that the pair of joints 20 are held in a non-slip position inside the support column 4.

[0034] Opposite portions of the joint 20 are recessed, and a cross-shaped rib 29 and a cylindrical boss 30 for forming a horizontally elongated female screw hole 26 are formed in these recesses. An inward-facing notch 31 is formed at the upper end of the joint 20 for passing the power cable 11 through.

[0035] Furthermore, the lower surface of the joint 20 has two half-shaped trough-like portions 32 that overlap each other to hold the power cable 11, and these trough-like portions 32 are fitted into the screw insertion holes 23 of the base body 3. Therefore, the trough-like portions 32 also have the function of positioning the joint 20 relative to the base body 3.

[0036] Since the power cable 11 is held in place by a pair of trough-shaped parts 32, the power cable 11 will not rattle around inside the support column 4 and make a rattling noise, nor will it be damaged when an external pulling force is applied to the power cable 11, nor will it come off the outlet unit 6 even if the power cable 11 is accidentally pulled.

[0037] In a pair of joints 20, the opposing parts form a space through which the power cable 11 passes. However, since each joint 20 is fixed to the support column 4 with a single horizontal screw 22, the horizontal screws 22 do not cross the space through which the power cable 11 passes. Therefore, there is no problem of the horizontal screws 22 interfering with the power cable 11.

[0038] Since the joint 20 is fixed to the base body 3 with one upward-facing screw 21, the elongated female screw hole 25 is formed closer to one end of the joint 20. However, it is possible to fix a pair of joints 20 to the base body 3 with two upward-facing screws 21 each, in which case the mounting strength of the joints 20 can be greatly improved.

[0039] The support column 4 has a screw insertion hole 24, but the area of ​​the screw insertion hole 24 is a burring portion that protrudes inward. Therefore, an outward notch 33 is formed on the upper surface of the part of the joint 20 that faces the support column 4 to accommodate the burring portion when fitting the support column 4. In addition, elongated vertical grooves 33a are formed on both the left and right sides of the outward notch 33. Thus, the joint 20 abuts against the inner surface of the support column 4 via four elongated vertical ribs.

[0040] (3) Summary In this embodiment, the power cable 11 can be connected to an outlet drawn from a raised floor, or it may be connected to an outlet installed in the building wall. Because it is portable, it can be carried and used in any location as needed. Therefore, it is also suitable for offices with a free-address system.

[0041] As already mentioned, since the arm 5 can be overhanging above the table 2, the plugs of devices such as laptops can be inserted into and removed from the outlets 6b while seated in a chair. Moreover, since the outlets 6b of the outlet unit 6 open upwards, anyone sitting opposite each other across the table 2 can use all of the outlet units 6, and therefore there will never be a shortage of outlets, making it very convenient to use (in the case of the table in this embodiment, four outlets 6b are practically sufficient).

[0042] Furthermore, since a groove 12 is formed in the grounding body 10 of the base body 3, and the lower surface of the base body 3 is configured as a power cable storage section, the power cable 11 can be neatly managed when the portable power supply device is not in use. As in the embodiment, when the outer surface of each grounding body 10 is formed in an arc shape, the power cable can be smoothly bent and wrapped around the group of grounding bodies 10, so when pulled out the power cable 11 there is no kink and it looks good.

[0043] In particular, when the grounding body 10 is configured as four, as in the embodiment, the overall length of the arcuate surface can be increased, forming the group of grounding bodies 10 as a ring, which is suitable for winding the power cable 11 in a circular shape. The same applies when two or three are configured. Also, as in the embodiment, providing a cable receiving portion 10a on each grounding body 10 is preferable because it prevents the power cable 11 pulled out from the groove 12 from sagging.

[0044] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be implemented in various other ways. For example, the grounding body can be formed in a ring shape, and a groove for pulling in a power cable can be formed on a part of its lower surface in communication with a recessed groove. Alternatively, the power cable winding member can be configured as a separate component from the grounding body and placed on the outside or inside of the grounding body. The base body can take on various shapes, such as a rectangular or elliptical shape in plan view. It is also possible to provide multiple dummy insertion points on a single grounding body. [Industrial applicability]

[0045] The present invention can be implemented in a portable power supply device. Therefore, it can be used industrially. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 1. Power supply device 3 Base 4 pillars 5 Arms 6 Outlet Units 8 aperture 9 Inward-facing ribs 10 It also serves as a power cable winding component. grounding body 11 Power cable 12 grooves 13 plugs 14 Dummy slots 16 gaps

Claims

1. A circular base in plan view that rests stably on the floor surface, and hollow supports rising from the base. It comprises a column and a power supply unit provided at the upper end of the support column, A power cable winding member is provided on the lower surface of the base body, with its downward orientation exposed. A portable power supply device, The base body is formed in a circular shape when viewed from above, and the power cable winding is located on the lower surface of the base body. Multiple grounding bodies, which also serve as grounding members, are arranged in a circumferentially separated manner, and each of the grounding members A groove for power cables is formed on the outer surface of the ground. Portable power supply device.

2. A dummy socket is formed on the inward-facing side surface of each grounding body, into which a plug connected to the power cable can be inserted. A portable power supply device as described in claim 1.

3. The outer surface of each of the ground contact bodies has an arc shape in plan view, and the group of ground contact bodies as a whole has a shape close to a disc. A portable power supply device as described in claim 1 or 2.

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