electronic machines

Abstract

To ensure safety of a user and prevent a malfunction in an electronic apparatus that supplies high voltage.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus has an external unit removably attached to a main body unit, and comprises: a main body connector that is attached to the main body unit, has an input contact of a driving circuit driving a driving device of the external unit and an output contact from a first power supply; and loopback means that includes routes for connecting the output contact and the input contact to the external unit. The main body connector has a ground contact between the output contact and the input contact.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device capable of correctly stopping operation when a detachable external unit is detached. [Background Art]

[0002] For products mounted with high-voltage devices, specifications related to high-voltage protection are required as international standards for each category to which the product belongs. As international standards, information equipment is required to comply with IEC60950-1 and IEC62368-1, and household electronic devices are required to comply with IEC60335-1. In order to comply with international standards, it is required to adopt a configuration that prevents malfunctions by taking safety into consideration for locations that may be touched by a user.

[0003] FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus equipped with a conventional high-voltage generator. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit detachable from an apparatus main body via connectors, and supplies high voltage from the high-voltage generator to the fixing unit. Power supplied to the high-voltage generator is supplied from a DC power source provided in the apparatus main body via the connectors. The connector has a terminal configuration for loopback. With such a configuration, when the fixing unit is detached from the apparatus main body, the loopback is opened, and supply of power to the high-voltage generator is stopped (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-011921 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional configuration, if the connector 102 of the main unit 101 is a male connector, the user may unintentionally short-circuit the male terminal of the receiving connector 102 of the loopback 107 with metal or the like. In this case, the high voltage generator 100 will output a high voltage, acting similarly to the loopback 107 of the connector 104. A high voltage will also be generated at the male terminal of the connector 102 corresponding to the output of the high voltage generator 100, which could lead to the user touching the terminal or causing the image forming apparatus to malfunction.

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to ensure user safety and prevent malfunctions in electronic equipment that receives high voltage from a high-voltage generator via a connector loopback configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One embodiment of the present disclosure is an electronic device having an external unit detachable from a main unit, comprising: a main unit connector attached to the main unit and having input contacts for a drive circuit that drives a drive device of the external unit and output contacts from a first power supply; and a loopback means to the external unit including a path for connecting the output contacts and the input contacts, wherein the main unit connector has a ground contact between the output contacts and the input contacts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to ensure user safety and prevent malfunctions in electronic devices that supply high voltage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus equipped with a conventional high-pressure generator. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]This is a perspective view of a recording device, which is shown as an example of an electronic device. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the internal configuration of the recording device. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the configuration of the recording head of the recording device. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the connections between units in the electronic device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the connections between units in the electronic device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows a first example of the contact arrangement of the main connector. [Figure 11] This figure shows a second example of the contact arrangement for the main connector. [Figure 12] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to the first example of the third embodiment. [Figure 13] This figure shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the first example of the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to a second example of the third embodiment. [Figure 15] This figure shows the connections between units in an electronic device as a second example of the third embodiment. [Figure 16] This diagram shows the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. [Figure 17] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 18] This diagram shows the connections between units in the electronic device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 19] This diagram shows the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. [Figure 20] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 21]It is a diagram showing the connection between units in the electronic device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 22] It is a diagram showing the arrangement of contacts of a main body connector. [Figure 23] It is a diagram showing the connection between units in the electronic device according to the sixth embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] (First Embodiment) FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. The electronic device 200 is composed of a main body unit 201, an external unit 202, and an actuator 203. The external unit 202 is attachable and detachable, and is attached or detached by a user or a service engineer who performs maintenance on the electronic device for purposes such as replacement and maintenance of the external unit 202. An ACDC converter 204 in the main body unit 201 is connected to an external power supply and supplies power into the electronic device. The output of the ACDC converter 204 is connected to a plurality of DCDC converters. A controller 206 that controls the entire electronic device 200 is connected to the DCDC converter A 205. An actuator drive circuit 208 is connected to the DCDC converter B 207. The actuator drive circuit 208 drives the actuator 203 mounted in the electronic device 200.

[0012] The DC-DC converter C209 outputs a high voltage. High voltage is defined in IEC60950-1 and IEC60335-1 as 60V or higher for DC and 42.4V or higher for AC (peak value). In this embodiment, an electronic device supplied with high voltage from a high-voltage generator is used as an example, but it is not limited to voltage values ​​of 42.4V or higher and can be applied to any voltage value. The DC-DC converter C209 is connected to the AC-DC converter 204 as a power source, like other DC-DC converters, but it differs in that it is connected via an external unit 202. The output of the DC-DC converter C209 is connected to the high-voltage device drive circuit 210. The high-voltage device drive circuit 210 uses the high voltage output from the DC-DC converter C209 to drive the high-voltage drive device 211 mounted on the external unit 202.

[0013] Figure 3 shows the external appearance of a recording device using a recording medium as an example of an electronic device. An insertion slot 301 is provided on the upper rear of the recording device 300, allowing recording media such as recording paper to be supplied manually or by supplying roll paper. The recording device 300 is supported by a printer stand 302 consisting of two legs. The recording device 300 includes an output tray 303 for holding the output recording media, etc., and an upper cover 304 that is transparent to the inside and can be opened and closed. An operation panel 305 and a screen panel 306 that provides information to the user are located on the right side of the main body of the recording device 300. In addition, an ink supply unit and ink tanks 307 are installed on both sides of the main body of the device.

[0014] Figure 4 shows the internal configuration of the recording device. It shows the recording device with the upper cover 304 shown in Figure 3 removed. The recording device includes a transport roller 404 for transporting the recording medium 400 in the direction of arrow B (sub-scanning direction) and a transport motor 405 for moving the transport roller 404. The recording device further includes a carriage unit 401 that is guided to reciprocate in the width direction of the recording medium (direction of arrow A, main scanning direction). The recording device includes a carriage motor (not shown) for reciprocating the carriage unit 401 in the direction of arrow A, a carriage belt 402, and a recording head 403 mounted on the carriage unit 401. The recording head 403 is detachable from the carriage unit 401, and can be reattached if it is improperly mounted to the carriage unit 401, and can also be replaced with a new recording head.

[0015] Figure 5 shows the configuration of the recording head of the recording device. The recording head 403 is equipped with a circulation pump 501 for circulating the ink within the recording head 403 and a heater (not shown) that converts electrical energy into thermal energy to eject the ink. The circulation pump 501 is provided with a piezoelectric element 502 for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. When a voltage is applied between the terminals of the piezoelectric element 502, a strain proportional to the applied voltage is generated due to the electrostrictive effect. This strain is used to vibrate a diaphragm (not shown) of the circulation pump 501, thereby circulating the ink within the recording head 403. A driving voltage of 50V square wave or sinusoidal wave is applied to the piezoelectric element 502.

[0016] The recording device 300 described with reference to Figures 3 to 5 is an example of the electronic device 200 shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, the actuator 203 corresponds to the transport motor 405 and carriage motor in the recording device 300, the high-voltage drive device 211 corresponds to the piezoelectric element 502 and heater, and the external unit 202 corresponds to the recording head 403 of the recording device 300. This disclosure is broadly applicable to electronic devices in general, and although a recording device is given as an example, the embodiments are not limited to a recording device. The following description will focus on embodiments as electronic devices.

[0017] Figure 6 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the first embodiment. It shows the connection between the main unit 201 and the external unit 202 of the electronic device 200. The main unit 201 and the external unit 202 are connected by mating the main connector 601 attached to the main unit 201 and the external connector 602 attached to the external unit 202. When the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are connected, the output of the ACDC converter 204 is output from the output contact 604 of the main connector 601, and input to the input contact 605 of the main connector 601 via the external unit 202. Then, the input contact 605 is connected to the DCDC converter C209 of the main unit 201. The path that returns the output of the ACDC converter 204 to the main unit 201 via the external unit 202 is called the loopback 603.

[0018] When the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected, the AC / DC converter 204 and the DC / DC converter C209 can no longer be physically connected via the loopback 603. At this time, the DC / DC converter C209 does not output high voltage. Consequently, it does not output from the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 either, and therefore, the contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 on the main connector 601 do not output high voltage. The main connector 601 is also assigned a contact for the ground 600 of the main unit 201 (hereinafter referred to as the ground contact 607). This ground contact 607 may be a contact for connecting the chassis of the external unit 202 to the ground 600. Alternatively, the external unit 202 may have a board with another ground, and this contact may be a contact for connecting the ground of that board to the ground 600 of the main unit 201.

[0019] Figure 7 shows the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. The main connector 601 includes contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 shown in Figure 6, a ground contact 607, and output contacts 604 and input contacts 605 that connect to the loopback. The main connector 601 also includes several other contacts for supplying necessary signals and power to other devices mounted on the external unit 202. These other contacts mate with the external connector 602, enabling a functional connection between the main unit 201 and the external unit 202. These other contacts (hereinafter referred to as general-purpose contacts) are signals or power that do not have sufficient power supply capacity to drive the high-voltage drive device 211. Furthermore, even if the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected and these other general-purpose contacts are shorted with input contact 605, the power required for the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 will not be supplied via the DC-DC converter C209. In other words, the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 cannot drive the high-voltage drive device 211.

[0020] Furthermore, if the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected and a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, causing a short circuit, that conductive material will function similarly to the loopback 603. As a result, a high voltage will be output from the DC-DC converter C209 of the main unit 201. Therefore, ground contacts 607A and 607B are placed between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605. It is desirable that the ground contacts 607A and 607B be placed so as to overlap with the region enclosed by the two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact 604 and the outer edge of the input contact 605 (hereinafter referred to as the short-circuit region). With this arrangement, if a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, there is a high probability that the conductive material will also come into contact with the ground contact 607. In this case, current will flow from the output contact 604 to the ground contact 607, so power will not be supplied to the input contact 605. Therefore, since no high voltage is output from the DC-DC converter C209 of the main unit 201, no high voltage is output from the contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 of the main unit connector 601.

[0021] Therefore, if a conductive material accidentally comes into contact between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, even if the user touches the terminals of the main connector 601, no high voltage will be output, thus ensuring the safety of the user.

[0022] The terminal shapes of the contacts of the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are not limited to the rectangular shape shown in Figure 7. In each connector, the terminal shape of the connection surface where the contacts are exposed can be any shape, such as a round shape, as long as the two connectors can mate and an electrical connection can be obtained. The short-circuit region described above is defined as follows, regardless of the terminal shape: It is the region enclosed by a straight line that touches one side of the outer edge of one terminal (output contact 604) and the same side of the outer edge of the other terminal (input contact 605), and a straight line that touches the other side of the outer edge of one terminal and the same side of the outer edge of the other terminal.

[0023] The connector of the first embodiment has contacts arranged in three rows, but it may have one or two rows, or four or more rows. In a connector with only one row of contacts, at least one ground contact should be placed between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605. The same applies when the output contact 604 and the input contact 605 are placed in the same row in a connector with multiple rows of contacts.

[0024] In the first embodiment, two ground contacts 607 are provided, but there is no limit to the number of ground contacts 607, and one or more ground contacts 607 can be placed between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605. Although it has been explained that a new ground contact 607 is provided between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, the placement of contacts can also be determined by utilizing ground contacts that have been placed in advance for other purposes.

[0025] The ground contact 607 is preferably placed near two contacts to prevent malfunctions caused by incorrect connections between those two contacts. More preferably, the ground contact 607 is placed at a contact adjacent to these two contacts. Many of the contacts placed near these two contacts overlap with the short-circuit region described above. Therefore, by designating only the contacts placed near the two contacts as ground contacts 607, the number of ground contacts 607 placed in the short-circuit region can be reduced.

[0026] Furthermore, the same effect can be achieved by replacing the ground contact 607, which is placed in the short-circuit region, with the general-purpose contact described above.

[0027] (Second embodiment) Regarding the electronic device according to the second embodiment, only the differences from the electronic device of the first embodiment will be described.

[0028] Figure 8 shows the configuration of the electronic device according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the external unit 202 is equipped with an electronic device 800 in addition to the high-voltage drive device 211. The electronic device 800 may be a memory, a control unit component such as a microcontroller, or an actuator. The electronic device 800 receives power from the DC-DC converter D801. The DC-DC converter D801 receives power from the AC-DC converter 204, converts it to a predetermined voltage, and supplies it to the electronic device 800.

[0029] Figure 9 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the second embodiment. The main unit 201 and the external unit 202 are connected by mating the main unit connector 601 and the external unit connector 602. The output of the DC-DC converter D801 is connected to the electronic device 800 of the external unit 202 via the contact 902 for the electronic device 800 on the main unit connector 601. The electronic device 800 operates by receiving power from the DC-DC converter D801.

[0030] Figure 10 shows a first example of the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. The main connector 601 includes contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 described in Figure 6, a ground contact 607, and output contacts 604 and input contacts 605 that connect to the loopback. The main connector 601 also includes several other contacts for supplying necessary signals and power to other devices mounted on the external unit 202. Contact 902 for the electronic device 800 connected to the output of the DC-DC converter D801 is also located on the contacts of the main connector 601.

[0031] The arrangement of the ground contacts 607A and 607B, located between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0032] Furthermore, if the main unit connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected, and a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the input contact 605, causing a short circuit, that conductive material will act similarly to a loopback. In other words, the output of the DC-DC converter D801 and the input of the DC-DC converter C209 will be connected. If the output of the DC-DC converter D801 has sufficient supply capacity for the DC-DC converter C209 to output a high voltage, then the DC-DC converter C209 will output a high voltage. If the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 operates even though the main unit 201 is not controlling the external unit 202, it may cause unexpected malfunctions.

[0033] Therefore, ground contacts 607C and 607D are positioned so as to overlap with the short-circuit region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the outer edge of input contact 605. With this arrangement, if a conductive material accidentally comes into contact between contact 902 and input contact 605, there is a high probability that the conductive material will also come into contact with ground contacts 607C and 607D. In this case, current flows from contact 902 for the electronic device 800 to ground contact 607, so power is not supplied to input contact 605. Also, since no high voltage is output from the DC-DC converter C209 of the main unit 201, no high voltage is output to contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 of the main connector 601.

[0034] Therefore, even if a user touches the terminals of the main unit connector 601, no high voltage will be output, thus ensuring user safety and preventing malfunctions of electronic devices.

[0035] Figure 11 shows a second example of the contact arrangement of the main connector. In the main connector 601, the position of contact 902 for the electronic device 800 differs from that of the first example described above. A ground contact 607E is placed between contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the input contact 605. It is desirable to place the ground contact so as to overlap with the short-circuit region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the outer edge of the input contact 605. However, the newly placed ground contact 607E alone does not sufficiently cover this region. On the other hand, the ground contact 607B provided between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605 also overlaps with this short-circuit region. Therefore, ground contact 607B can be used in combination as a ground contact placed between contact 902 and the input contact 605.

[0036] In the second embodiment, one or two ground contacts 607 are provided, but there may be one or more ground contacts 607 as long as they can be placed between the contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the input contact 605. There is no limit to the number of ground contacts 607 to be placed. The explanation described how to newly provide a ground contact 607 between the contact 902 for the electronic device 800 and the input contact 605. On the other hand, as described above, the placement of contacts may be determined by utilizing ground contacts that have been placed in advance for other purposes. Also, the general-purpose contacts described above may be placed in place of the ground contacts to be placed in the short-circuit region.

[0037] (Third embodiment) Regarding the electronic device according to the third embodiment, only the differences from the electronic device of the first embodiment will be described.

[0038] Figure 12 shows the configuration of an electronic device according to the first example of the third embodiment. In the first example of the third embodiment, the electronic device 200 includes a plurality of external units 202A, 202B, which are connected to the main unit 201. In the first example, it is assumed that multiple external units having the same configuration and function are connected. The main unit 201 is equipped with one set of high-voltage device drive circuits and DC-DC converters for each external unit. That is, the number of sets of high-voltage device drive circuits and DC-DC converters is equipped according to the number of external units connected.

[0039] Figure 13 shows the connections between units in an electronic device of the first example of the third embodiment. The electronic device 200 has multiple external units 202A and 202B connected to a common main unit 201. Accordingly, the main unit 201 has main unit connectors 601A and 601B according to the number of external units, and these are connected by mating with the external connectors 602A and 602B of the external units 202A and 202B, respectively.

[0040] The high-voltage device drive circuit A210A and the high-voltage drive device 211A are connected via the main connector 601A and the external connector 602A. Furthermore, the ACDC converter 204 and the DCDC converter C209 are connected via the loopback 603A of the main connector 601A and the external connector 602A. The high-voltage device drive circuit B210B and the high-voltage drive device 211B are connected via the main connector 601B and the external connector 602B. Furthermore, the ACDC converter 204 and the DCDC converter E1100 are connected via the loopback 603B of the main connector 601B and the external connector 602B.

[0041] Furthermore, since the main unit 201 has only one ground 600, the ground contact 607 of the main connector 601A and the ground contact 1201 of the main connector 601B are connected to the common ground 600.

[0042] Figure 14 shows the configuration of the electronic device according to the second example of the third embodiment. In the second example of the third embodiment, the electronic device 200 also includes multiple external units having the same configuration and function. The difference from the first example is that the DC-DC converter that supplies power to the high-voltage device drive circuit is combined into one unit.

[0043] Figure 15 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the second example of the third embodiment. Similar to the first example, the main unit 201 has main unit connectors 601A and 601B depending on the number of external units, and is connected by mating with the external connectors 602A and 602B of the external units 202A and 202B, respectively. The high-voltage device drive circuit A210A and the high-voltage drive device 211A are connected via the main unit connector 601A and the external connector 602A. The high-voltage device drive circuit B210B and the high-voltage drive device 211B are connected via the main unit connector 601B and the external connector 602B.

[0044] The ACDC converter 204 and the DCDC converter C209 are connected via the loopback 603B of the main connector 601B and the external connector 602B, and further via the loopback 603A of the main connector 601A and the external connector 602A. In other words, the output from the ACDC converter 204 is connected to the DCDC converter C209 via both the external unit 202B and the external unit 202A. In the second example, if either the external unit 202A or 202B is removed, the output of the DCDC converter C209 stops, and therefore no high voltage is output from the two high-voltage device drive circuits 210.

[0045] Similar to the first example, since the main unit 201 has only one ground 600, the ground contact 607 of the main connector 601A and the ground contact 1201 of the main connector 601B are connected to the common ground 600.

[0046] In the third embodiment, when the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected, the ACDC converter 204 and the DCDC converters C209 and E1100 can no longer be physically connected via the loopbacks 603A and 603B. As a result, no high voltage is output from the DCDC converter C209 or the DCDC converter E1100. Consequently, no high voltage is output from the high-voltage device drive circuit 210, and therefore no high voltage is output to the high-voltage drive device contacts 606A and 606B or the high-voltage drive device contacts 1200A and 1200B of the main connector 601.

[0047] Figure 16 shows the arrangement of contacts in the main connector. Main connector 601A includes contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device A211A, ground contacts 607A and 607B, and output contact 604A and input contact 605A connected to the loopback. Main connector 601B includes contacts 1200A and 1200B for the high-voltage drive device 211B, ground contacts 1201A and 1201B, and output contact 604B and input contact 605B connected to the loopback. The arrangement of ground contacts 607A and 607B and ground contacts 1201A and 1201B is the same as in the first and second embodiments.

[0048] Furthermore, ground contacts 607F and 607G are positioned between the output contact 604A of the main connector 601A and the input contact 605B of the main connector 601B, overlapping with the short-circuit region between the two contacts. On the other hand, ground contacts 607G and 607G are positioned between the input contact 605A of the main connector 601A and the output contact 604B of the main connector 601B, overlapping with the short-circuit region between the two contacts.

[0049] In the third embodiment, the main unit 201 is provided with multiple main unit connectors 601A, 601B for connecting multiple external units 202A, 202B. If multiple external units are removed at once, there is a possibility that conductive material may accidentally come into contact between the output contacts located on one main unit connector and the input contacts located on the other main unit connector. In this case, the conductive material will act similarly to the loopback 603, causing a high voltage to be output from the DC-DC converter C209 or DC-DC converter E1100 of the main unit 201. Due to the arrangement of the ground contacts 607F, 607G, 1201A, if conductive material accidentally comes into contact between the two main unit connectors 601A, 601B, there is a high probability that the conductive material will also come into contact with the ground contacts 607F, 607G, 1201A. In this case, current will flow from the output contact 604 to the ground contacts 607F, 607G, 1201A, and power will not be supplied to the input contact 605. Therefore, since no high voltage is output from the DC-DC converter C209 or DC-DC converter E1100 of the main unit 201, no high voltage is output from the contacts 606 and 1200 for the high-voltage drive device.

[0050] Therefore, even if a user touches the terminals of the main unit connectors 601A and 601B, no high voltage will be output, thus ensuring user safety.

[0051] In the third embodiment, the ground contact 607G is located between the output contact 604A and the input contact 605B, and between the two terminals between the input contact 605A and the output contact 604B. Therefore, the ground contact 607G can prevent high voltage output even if a short circuit occurs between any of these terminals. Additionally, the ground contact 1201A is located between the input contact 605A and the output contact 604B, and between the two terminals between the output contact 604B and the input contact 605B. Therefore, the ground contact 1201A can prevent high voltage output even if a short circuit occurs between any of these terminals.

[0052] Since a single ground contact, such as ground contacts 607G and 1201A, can handle short circuits between multiple contacts, the number of ground contacts to be placed in the short-circuit region can be reduced. In the third embodiment, an example in which two external units are connected was described, but the number of external units is not limited, and the configuration described in this embodiment can be applied even in configurations in which more external units are connected. In addition, the general-purpose contacts described above may be used instead of the ground contacts placed in the short-circuit region.

[0053] (Fourth embodiment) Regarding the electronic device according to the fourth embodiment, only the differences from the electronic device of the first to third embodiments will be described.

[0054] Figure 17 shows the configuration of the electronic device according to the fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the electronic device 200 comprises a plurality of external units 202, each equipped with an electronic device 800, and connected to the main unit 201. In the fourth embodiment as well, it is assumed that a plurality of external units having the same configuration and function are connected. The main unit 201 is equipped with a set of high-voltage device drive circuits and DC-DC converters for each of the high-voltage drive devices of the external units. In addition, a DC-DC converter is equipped for each of the electronic devices of the external units. The electronic devices 800A and 800B may be memory, control unit components such as a microcontroller, or actuators.

[0055] Figure 18 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the fourth embodiment. Similar to the third embodiment, the main unit 201 has main unit connectors 601A and 601B depending on the number of external units, and these are connected by mating with the external connectors 602A and 602B of the external units 202A and 202B, respectively. The connections between the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 and the high-voltage drive device 211, and between the ACDC converter 204 and the DCDC converter C209 and DCDC converter E1100 are the same as in the first example of the third embodiment.

[0056] Furthermore, the output of the DCDC converter D901 is connected to electronic device A800A via contact 902A for electronic device 800A on the main connector 601A. The output of the DCDC converter F1400 is connected to electronic device B800B via contact 902B for electronic device 800B on the main connector 601B.

[0057] Figure 19 shows the arrangement of contacts in the main connector. Main connector 601A includes contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device A211A, ground contacts 607A and 607B, and output contact 604A and input contact 605A connected to the loopback. Main connector 601B includes contacts 1200A and 1200B for the high-voltage drive device 211B, ground contacts 1201A and 1201B, and output contact 604B and input contact 605B connected to the loopback. The arrangement of ground contacts 607A and 607B and ground contacts 1201A and 1201B is the same as in the first and second embodiments. The arrangement of ground contacts 607F and 607G is the same as in the third embodiment.

[0058] Furthermore, ground contacts 607G and 607H are positioned between the contact 902A for electronic device A800A on the main connector 601A and the input contact 605B of the main connector 601B, overlapping with the short-circuit region between the two contacts. On the other hand, ground contacts 607G and 1201A are positioned between the input contact 605A of the main connector 601A and the contact 902B for electronic device B800B on the main connector 601B, overlapping with the short-circuit region between the two contacts.

[0059] In the fourth embodiment, the main unit 201 is provided with multiple main unit connectors 601A, 601B for connecting multiple external units 202A, 202B. If multiple external units are removed at once, conductive material may accidentally come into contact between the contacts for the electronic devices located on one main unit connector and the input contacts located on the other main unit connector. In this case, the conductive material may act similarly to the loopback 603, causing a high voltage to be output from the DCDC converter D801 or DCDC converter F1400 of the main unit 201. If the output of DCDC converter D801 has sufficient supply capacity to enable DCDC converter C209 to output a high voltage, then a high voltage may be output from DCDC converter C209, potentially causing an unexpected malfunction. If the output of DCDC converter F1400 has sufficient supply capacity to enable DCDC converter E1100 to output a high voltage, then a high voltage may be output from DCDC converter E1100, potentially causing an unexpected malfunction.

[0060] Due to the arrangement of ground contacts 607G, 607H, and 1201A, if a conductive material accidentally comes into contact between the two main body connectors 601A and 601B, there is a high probability that the conductive material will also come into contact with ground contacts 607G, 607H, and 1201A. In this case, current flows from output contact 604 to ground contacts 607F, 607G, and 1201A, so power is not supplied to input contact 605. Therefore, no high voltage is output from the DC-DC converter C209 or DC-DC converter E1100 of the main body unit 201, and consequently, no high voltage is output from contacts 606 and 1200 for high-voltage drive devices.

[0061] Therefore, even if a user touches the terminals of the main unit connectors 601A and 601B, no high voltage will be output, thus ensuring user safety and preventing malfunctions of electronic devices.

[0062] In the fourth embodiment, external unit 202A and external unit 202B were described using the same external unit as an example, but they may be different external units. For example, even if external unit 202B is equipped only with the electronic device B800B and does not have the high-voltage drive device B211B, the same effects and advantages can be achieved with a configuration similar to that of this embodiment.

[0063] Ground contact 607G is positioned between output contact 604A and input contact 605B, between input contact 605A and output contact 604B, and between contact 902A for electronic device 800A and input contact 605B. Since one ground contact can handle short circuits between multiple contacts, the number of ground contacts to be placed in the short-circuit region can be reduced. Similarly, ground contact 1201A can also handle short circuits between multiple contacts, just like ground contact 607G. In addition, the general-purpose contacts mentioned above may be used instead of the ground contacts placed in the short-circuit region.

[0064] (Fifth embodiment) Regarding the electronic device according to the fifth embodiment, only the differences from the electronic device of the first embodiment will be described.

[0065] Figure 20 shows the configuration of the electronic device according to the fifth embodiment. In the electronic device 200 of the fifth embodiment, a regulator 1700 is mounted on the main unit 201. The regulator 1700 receives power from the AC / DC converter 204, but it may also receive power from any DC / DC converter. The regulator 1700 is a power supply required by the main unit 201 or other blocks of the external unit 202 that are not shown.

[0066] The regulator 1700 may be a transistor circuit or a circuit with a Zener diode to stabilize the voltage. Even if the output of the regulator 1700 is connected to the input of the DC-DC converter C209 or the high-voltage device drive circuit 210, it is sufficient that the DC-DC converter C209 does not have enough supply capacity for the high-voltage device drive circuit 210 to output a high voltage.

[0067] Figure 21 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the fifth embodiment. The main unit 201 and the external unit 202 are connected by mating the main unit connector 601 and the external unit connector 602. The main unit connector 601 is equipped with a regulator contact 1800 that is connected to the output of the regulator 1700. In other words, the regulator contact 1800 corresponds to the general-purpose contact described above.

[0068] Figure 22 shows the arrangement of contacts on the main connector. The main connector 601 includes contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211 shown in Figure 6, as well as output contact 604 and input contact 605 that connect to the loopback. The main connector 601 also includes several other contacts for supplying necessary signals and power to other devices mounted on the external unit 202. These other contacts mate with the external connector 602, enabling a functional connection between the main unit 201 and the external unit 202.

[0069] Unlike the first embodiment, regulator contacts 1800A and 1800B are positioned between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605. It is desirable that the regulator contacts 1800 be positioned so as to overlap with the short-circuit region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact 604 and the outer edge of the input contact 605.

[0070] If the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected, and a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, causing a short circuit, that conductive material will function similarly to the loopback 603. As a result, a high voltage will be output from the DC-DC converter C209 of the main unit 201. Therefore, the regulator contact 1800 is positioned so as to overlap with the short-circuit region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edges of the output contact 604 and the outer edges of the input contact 605. If a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, there is a high probability that the conductive material will also come into contact with the regulator contact 1800. In this case, current will flow from the output contact 604 to the regulator contact 1800. Since the regulator 1500 has low power supply capacity, it cannot drive the DC-DC converter C209 and the high-voltage device drive circuit 210, and no high voltage will be output from the contacts 606A and 606B for the high-voltage drive device 211.

[0071] Therefore, if a conductive material accidentally comes into contact between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, even if the user touches the terminals of the main connector 601, no high voltage will be output, thus ensuring the safety of the user.

[0072] Here, two regulator contacts 1800 are provided between the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, but there may be one or more, and there is no limit to the number of regulator contacts 1800. It is desirable to place the regulator contacts 1800 near these two contacts to prevent malfunctions due to incorrect connection between the two contacts. More preferably, the regulator contacts 1800 are placed on contacts adjacent to these two contacts. Many of the contacts placed near these two contacts overlap with the short-circuit region. Therefore, by designating only the contacts placed near the two contacts as regulator contacts 1800, the number of regulator contacts 1800 placed in the short-circuit region can be reduced.

[0073] (Sixth embodiment) In the first to fifth embodiments, a configuration was described in which a high-voltage drive device 211 is mounted on the external unit 202 and the main unit connector 601 has contacts to which a high voltage is output. On the other hand, this embodiment can also be applied to a configuration in which no high voltage is output to the external unit 202. When the external unit 202 is removed from the main unit 201, the power supply to the external unit 202 is cut off, and even if the user touches the terminals of the main unit connector 601, malfunction of the electronic device can be prevented.

[0074] Figure 23 shows the connections between units in the electronic device of the sixth embodiment. The main unit 201 houses the internal device 2000. The output of the ACDC converter 204 is output from output contact 604 and input to the DCDC converter C209 via loopback 603 through input contact 605. The main connector 601 includes several other contacts for supplying necessary signals and power to other devices mounted on the external unit 202. These other contacts mate with the external connector 602, enabling a functional connection between the main unit 201 and the external unit 202.

[0075] Similar to the first to fifth embodiments, the ground contact or general-purpose contact is positioned so as to overlap with the short-circuit region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact 604 and the outer edge of the input contact 605. Even if the main connector 601 and the external connector 602 are disconnected and a conductive material accidentally comes into contact with the output contact 604 and the input contact 605, causing a short circuit, power will not be supplied to the input contact 605. Therefore, the power supply to the internal device 2000 can be stopped, and malfunction of the electronic equipment can be prevented even if the user touches the terminals of the main connector 601.

[0076] (Other embodiments) The embodiments described above are broadly applicable to electronic devices in general and are not limited to the recording device described as an example in the first embodiment, but can be applied to a wide range of electronic devices such as industrial equipment and consumer electronics. It should be noted that the embodiments described above are not intended to limit the content of this disclosure, and not all combinations of features described in these embodiments are necessarily essential to the solutions of this disclosure. Furthermore, the relative arrangements and shapes of the components described in these embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the content of this disclosure.

[0077] Furthermore, the disclosure of this embodiment includes the following configuration. Configuration 1) An electronic device having an external unit that can be attached to and detached from the main unit, A main unit connector attached to the main unit, having input contacts for a drive circuit that drives the drive device of the external unit and output contacts from a first power supply, The external unit includes loopback means including a path for connecting the output contact and the input contact, The main connector is characterized by having a ground contact between the output contact and the input contact.

[0078] Configuration 2) The electronic device according to configuration 1, wherein the ground contact is positioned to overlap with the region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact and the outer edge of the input contact.

[0079] Configuration 3) The electronic device according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the ground contact is assigned to a contact adjacent to at least one of the output contact and the input contact.

[0080] Configuration 4) The main unit is further provided with a second power supply that receives power from the first power supply and drives the electronic devices of the external unit. The electronic device according to configuration 1, 2, or 3, wherein the main body connector has a ground contact between the contact connected to the output of the second power supply and the input contact.

[0081] Composition 5) The electronic device according to configuration 4, wherein the first power supply outputs a higher voltage than the second power supply.

[0082] Composition 6) The first power supply is an electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, which outputs a high voltage of 60V or more in DC and a peak value of 42.4V or more in AC.

[0083] Composition 7) It has multiple external units, and each of the multiple external units is equipped with multiple main unit connectors, The electronic device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein a ground contact is provided between the output contact of one of the multiple main body connectors and the input contact of another main body connector among the multiple main body connectors.

[0084] Composition 8) The main unit further comprises a plurality of second power supplies for driving each of the electronic devices of the plurality of external units, The electronic device according to configuration 7, wherein a ground contact is provided between a contact connected to the output of one of the multiple second power supplies in one of the multiple main body connectors and the input contact of another of the multiple main body connectors.

[0085] Composition 9) An electronic device having an external unit that can be attached to and detached from the main unit, A main unit connector attached to the main unit, having input contacts for a drive circuit that drives the drive device of the external unit and output contacts from a first power supply, The external unit includes loopback means including a path for connecting the output contact and the input contact, The electronic device is characterized in that the main body connector has a general-purpose contact between the output contact and the input contact that is unable to supply the power necessary for the drive circuit.

[0086] Composition 10) The electronic device according to configuration 9, wherein the general-purpose contact is arranged to overlap with the region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact and the outer edge of the input contact.

[0087] Composition 11) The electronic device according to configuration 9 or 10, wherein the general-purpose contact is assigned to a contact adjacent to at least one of the output contact and the input contact. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 200 Electronic equipment 201 Main Unit 202 External Unit 204 AC / DC Converter 209 DC-DC Converter C 210 High-voltage device drive circuit 211 High-voltage drive devices 600 Grand 601 Main unit connector 602 External Connector 603 Loopback 604 Output Contact 605 Input Contact 606 Contacts for High Voltage Drive Devices 607 Ground Contact

Claims

1. An electronic device having an external unit that can be attached to and detached from the main unit, A main unit connector attached to the main unit, having input contacts for a drive circuit that drives the drive device of the external unit and output contacts from a first power supply, The external unit includes loopback means including a path for connecting the output contact and the input contact, The main connector is characterized by having a ground contact between the output contact and the input contact.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact is arranged to overlap with the region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact and the outer edge of the input contact.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ground contact is assigned to a contact adjacent to at least one of the output contact and the input contact.

4. The main unit is further provided with a second power supply that receives power from the first power supply and drives the electronic devices of the external unit. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the main body connector has a ground contact between the contact connected to the output of the second power supply and the input contact.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the first power supply outputs a higher voltage than the second power supply.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first power supply outputs a high voltage of 60V or more in DC and a peak voltage of 42.4V or more in AC.

7. It has multiple external units, and each of the multiple external units is equipped with multiple main unit connectors, The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a ground contact is provided between the output contact of one of the plurality of main body connectors and the input contact of another of the plurality of main body connectors.

8. The main unit further comprises a plurality of second power supplies for driving each of the plurality of external units' electronic devices, The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein a ground contact is provided between a contact connected to the output of one of the multiple second power supplies in one of the multiple main body connectors and the input contact of another of the multiple main body connectors.

9. An electronic device having an external unit that can be attached to and detached from the main unit, A main unit connector attached to the main unit, having input contacts for a drive circuit that drives the drive device of the external unit and output contacts from a first power supply, The external unit includes loopback means including a path for connecting the output contact and the input contact, The main connector is characterized in that it has a general-purpose contact between the output contact and the input contact that is unable to supply the power necessary for the drive circuit.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the general-purpose contact is arranged to overlap with the region enclosed by two straight lines connecting the outer edge of the output contact and the outer edge of the input contact.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the general-purpose contact is assigned to a contact adjacent to at least one of the output contact and the input contact.

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