Wiring fixture

Abstract

A wiring fixture (2) is characterized by comprising: a substrate (50) on which an electronic component is mounted; a cylindrical terminal (52) that is provided on the substrate (50) and outputs DC power; and heat dissipation members (71, 72) that are disposed so as to surround at least a portion of the terminal (52).

Description

Wiring devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiring device, and more particularly to a wiring device that supplies DC power and has a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal.

[0002] Conventionally, USB outlets have been widely known as wiring devices for supplying DC power to electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet devices, and laptop computers. Wiring devices such as USB outlets include a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted and terminals for outputting DC power. The electronic components include power conversion components that convert AC power to DC power and output circuit components for outputting the DC power from the terminals. Electronic components such as power conversion components generate heat during operation, but the impact of this heat generation has not traditionally been a major problem. However, in recent years, wiring devices have become increasingly powerful and compact, significantly increasing the heat density, defined as the output per unit volume.

[0003] With the increase in heat generation density of wiring devices that supply DC power, there is a strong demand for improved heat dissipation. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a heat dissipation structure including a heat transfer section for transferring heat generated from electronic components mounted on a circuit board to a heat dissipation section. The heat dissipation structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first heat transfer section that transfers heat generated from the electronic components to the back side of the circuit board, and a second heat transfer section that extends from the back side of the circuit board to the front side and transfers the heat transferred to the back side of the circuit board to the heat dissipation section through the periphery of the circuit board.

[0004] JP 2018-137444 A

[0005] As a result of research by the present inventors, it has become clear that as the heat density of a wiring device that supplies DC power increases, the temperature of the terminals that output DC power rises during operation of the wiring device. This is presumably due to heat generated by the terminals themselves and heat transfer from heat-generating components such as other electronic components. From the perspective of ensuring normal operation of the wiring device, it is necessary to improve the heat dissipation properties of the terminals and reduce the temperature of the terminals. Conventional technologies, including the heat dissipation structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, do not sufficiently consider improving the heat dissipation properties of the terminals that output DC power, and there is still much room for improvement.

[0006] A wiring device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is characterized by comprising a substrate on which electronic components are mounted, a cylindrical terminal provided on the substrate and outputting DC power, and a heat dissipation member arranged to surround at least a portion of the cylindrical outer surface of the terminal.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a wiring fixture having excellent heat dissipation properties from terminals can be provided.

[0008] 2 is a perspective view of a socket using a wiring device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wiring device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of parts around a terminal of the wiring device according to the first embodiment; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the terminal; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the terminal; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wiring device according to a second embodiment, showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the terminal; and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wiring device according to a third embodiment, showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the terminal.

[0009] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a wiring device according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present disclosure includes configurations that are formed by selectively combining the components of the multiple embodiments and variations described below.

[0010] First Embodiment A wiring device 2 according to a first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a socket 1 using the wiring device 2.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1 , the outlet 1 is a wiring device including two wiring devices 2 and one power outlet device 3, and is installed on a wall 100 of a building. The outlet 1 includes a frame-shaped decorative plate 4 with an opening 4a formed therein, and front surfaces 2a, 3a of the wiring device 2 and the power outlet device 3 are exposed through the opening 4a in the decorative plate 4. The decorative plate 4 has a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front, and covers a construction hole formed in the wall 100, a mounting frame installed around the construction hole, and the like so that they cannot be seen. The outlet 1 includes, for example, a frame-shaped metal plate that is screwed to the mounting frame. The decorative plate 4 is fixed to the metal plate, for example, by hooking tabs formed on the back surface of the plate into holes in the metal plate.

[0012] The outlet 1 is installed with the wiring fixture 2 and the power outlet device 3 inserted into a construction hole formed in the wall 100. On the front side of the outlet 1 arranged along the wall surface, only the front faces 2a, 3a of the wiring fixture 2 and the power outlet device 3 are exposed through an opening 4a in the decorative plate 4. As will be described in detail later, the wiring fixture 2 includes a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted and cylindrical terminals 52 (see FIG. 4) that output DC power, and is provided with a heat dissipation path for dissipating heat from the terminals 52 to the inside of the device, the outside of the device, or both.

[0013] In the example shown in Fig. 1 , the outlet 1 is installed on the wall 100 so that two wiring devices 2 are arranged adjacent to each other and the wiring devices 2 and the power outlet device 3 are aligned vertically. Although the two wiring devices 2 are arranged above the power outlet device 3, their arrangement in an outlet equipped with the wiring devices 2 is not particularly limited. The number of wiring devices 2 is also not particularly limited. The outlet 1 equipped with the wiring devices 2 may also include an optical outlet, a LAN outlet, a telephone line outlet, etc. instead of the power outlet device 3, or may include only the wiring devices 2.

[0014] For ease of explanation, terms indicating front-to-rear, up-down, and left-to-right directions are used in this specification for the outlet 1, the wiring device 2, and each component of the wiring device 2. The front-to-rear direction refers to the direction in which a connector connected to the wiring device 2 is inserted and removed, and coincides with the axial direction of a cylindrical terminal 52 (described below). The up-to-down direction is a direction along the vertical direction, and the left-to-right direction is a direction perpendicular to the up-to-down and front-to-rear directions. Furthermore, left and right refer to the left and right when viewing the wiring device 2 from the front.

[0015] An example of the wiring device 2 is a USB outlet device. The USB outlet device is a device to which a USB connector 102 can be connected, includes a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, and supplies DC power to an electronic device 101 such as a smartphone. In FIG. 1 , the USB connector 102 of a cable 103 extending from the electronic device 101 is connected to the wiring device 2. In this embodiment, the wiring device 2 will be described as a USB outlet device. The power outlet device 3 is a general outlet device that outputs 100V or 200V AC power. On the front surface of the outlet 1, two connection ports 2b of the wiring device 2 and a connection port 3b of the power outlet device 3 are arranged vertically side by side.

[0016] The term "USB" as used herein 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. The shape of the USB terminal is not particularly limited and may be any of A-terminal, B-terminal, C-terminal, mini USB, micro USB, etc. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the outlet 1 including the wiring apparatus 2 is installed on a wall 100, but the wiring apparatus 2 may also be installed on furniture such as a desk, shelf, counter, or bed, or on vehicles such as an automobile, airplane, or railroad car.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the wiring device 2, and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device 2. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of parts around a terminal 52 of the wiring device 2.

[0018] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the wiring device 2 includes a first housing 10, a second housing 20, and a third housing 30 as housings that form the external shape of the device. The wiring device 2 has an overall substantially rectangular parallelepiped external shape, with its vertical length < its horizontal length < its front-to-rear length. Note that the relationship in length of the external shape of the wiring device 2 is not limited to this. The relationship in length of the external shape of the wiring device 2 can be set appropriately depending on, for example, the shape and number of terminals 52 provided in the wiring device 2. The first housing 10 is fixed to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 by a snap-fit ​​structure 60. This integrates the three housings, forming an internal space that accommodates the terminals 52 and a board on which electronic components are mounted.

[0019] The snap-fit ​​structure 60 is composed of a pair of fixing pieces 12 formed on the first housing 10, and protrusions 21, 31 formed on the outer surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, respectively, that fit into openings 13 of the fixing pieces 12. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are assembled in the vertical direction, and the first housing 10 is arranged to sandwich the front ends of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 from both the left and right. In addition, the ends (rear ends) of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 opposite the first housing 10 are fixed to each other using screws (not shown).

[0020] The first housing 10 is formed with a connection port 2b, which is an opening into which a USB connector 102 (see FIG. 1 ) can be inserted, and the front surface 10a of the first housing 10 serves as the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2 of the outlet 1. That is, the wiring device 2 is fixed to the mounting frame of the outlet 1 so that the front surface 10a of the first housing 10, on which the connection port 2b is formed, is exposed from the opening 4a of the decorative plate 4. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are disposed inside the wall 100 and are not disposed in a location where a user can touch them under normal use conditions. The outer surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are exposed to the outside of the device inside the wall 100, and heat transferred to the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is dissipated from the outer surfaces.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , the wiring device 2 includes a first substrate 40 on which electronic components including power conversion components for converting AC power to DC power are mounted, a second substrate 50 on which electronic components including output circuit components for outputting DC power are mounted, and a cylindrical terminal 52 for outputting DC power. The first substrate 40 includes a printed circuit board 41 and electronic components including power conversion components arranged on the printed circuit board 41. The second substrate 50 includes the printed circuit board 51 and electronic components including output circuit components arranged on the printed circuit board 51. The terminal 52 is a USB terminal and is arranged on the printed circuit board 51 of the second substrate 50. In this embodiment, the first housing 10 surrounds the second substrate 50, and the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 surround the first substrate 40. Note that a portion of the first substrate 40 may extend into the first housing 10. Also, a portion of the second substrate 50 may extend into the second housing 20 and the third housing 30.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the wiring device 2 further includes heat dissipation members 71 and 72 arranged to surround at least a portion of the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the terminal 52. The heat dissipation members 71 and 72 are each a metal plate. The heat dissipation member 71 is arranged above the terminal 52, and the heat dissipation member 72 is arranged below the terminal 52. As shown in FIG. 4 , the heat dissipation member 71 has a first region 73 facing the upper surface 52 a of the terminal 52 and a second region 74 that is substantially perpendicular to the first region 73. The heat dissipation member 72 has a first region 75 facing the lower surface 52 b of the terminal 52 and a second region 76 that is substantially perpendicular to the first region 75. As will be described in detail later, heat from the terminal 52 is conducted to the second regions 74 and 76 via the first regions 73 and 75.

[0023] The heat dissipation members 71, 72 are fixed to the terminals 52 by being sandwiched between a pair of fixing members 90 from above and below. In the present embodiment, the second regions 74, 76 abut against the front surface 10a of the first housing 10. This forms a heat dissipation path from the terminals 52, which are heat sources, to the first housing 10 via the heat dissipation members 71, 72. As the wiring fixture 2 becomes higher output and smaller, the heat density of the device increases significantly. However, by providing the heat dissipation members 71, 72 arranged so as to surround at least a portion of the terminals 52, the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52 can be improved.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4 , the wiring device 2 further includes a heat transfer member 81 interposed between the upper surface 52a of the terminal 52 and the heat dissipation member 71, and a heat transfer member 82 interposed between the lower surface 52b of the terminal 52 and the heat dissipation member 72. As will be described in detail later, the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are compressible elastic bodies having higher thermal conductivity than general resins. When the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 are sandwiched between the fixing members 90, the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are pressed vertically. As a result, the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are compressed and tightly adhere to the surfaces of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71 and 72. As a result, thermal conduction between the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 is promoted, further improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52.

[0025] Each component of the wiring device 2 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 6 as appropriate. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring device 2 taken along line AA in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the wiring device 2 taken along line BB in Figure 2. Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged views of the periphery of the terminal 52. In Figure 6, the area where the first region 75 of the heat dissipation member 72 is located is indicated by a dotted line.

[0026] [First substrate] As shown in FIG. 3, the first substrate 40 is a printed wiring board including electronic components arranged on a printed circuit board 41, and is arranged in the internal space surrounded by the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 so that the surface of the board is perpendicular to the up-down direction.

[0027] The first substrate 40 includes a power supply circuit that converts AC power supplied from the system power supply into DC current and outputs the DC current to terminals 52 of the second substrate 50. The power supply circuit is configured by electrically connecting power conversion components via wiring formed on the surface and inside of the printed circuit board 41. The first substrate 40 is provided with terminals (not shown) that are connected to the system power supply. In addition, at least one of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is formed with an insertion hole (not shown) for a cable that connects to the system power supply.

[0028] The first substrate 40 includes a semiconductor element 42 (see FIG. 5 ), a transformer 43, a common-mode coil 44, an electrolytic capacitor 45, and the like, which are broadly defined as power conversion components that make up the power supply circuit. Examples of the semiconductor element 42 include a switching element, a diode, and a transistor. When the power supply circuit is operating, at least some of the power conversion components generate heat, with the semiconductor element 42 and the transformer 43 generating particularly large amounts of heat. For this reason, heat generated from the power conversion components, such as the semiconductor element 42 and the transformer 43, is easily transferred to the terminals 52 by radiation, convection, and thermal conduction via the printed circuit board 41, etc.

[0029] In this embodiment, the transformer 43, the common mode coil 44, and the electrolytic capacitor 45 are disposed on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 41, and the plurality of semiconductor elements 42 are disposed on the lower surface of the printed circuit board 41. However, the arrangement of the electronic components is not limited to this.

[0030] 3 , the second substrate 50 is a printed wiring board including terminals 52 arranged on a printed circuit board 51, and is arranged in the internal space of the first housing 10. The second substrate 50 is electrically connected to the first substrate 40, and includes an output circuit for outputting DC power converted by the power supply circuit of the first substrate 40 from the terminals 52. In this embodiment, the second substrate 50 is arranged perpendicular to the first substrate 40. The first substrate 40 and the second substrate 50 may have, for example, a protrusion and an opening into which the protrusion is inserted, and may be fixed to each other.

[0031] In the second substrate 50, electronic components such as terminals 52 and electrolytic capacitors (not shown) are arranged on the front surface of the printed circuit board 51. In this embodiment, the number of terminals 52 is one, but the number of terminals 52 is not particularly limited, and two or more terminals may be provided.

[0032] The terminal 52 is disposed, for example, in the center of the front surface of the printed circuit board 51. The terminal 52 is a USB terminal to which the USB connector 102 can be connected. The terminal 52 has a flat upper surface 52a and a flat lower surface 52b, and is formed into a flat cylindrical shape as a whole. The shape and type of the USB terminal are not particularly limited. The terminal 52 is disposed in a state in which the USB connector 102 can be inserted and removed through the connection port 2b formed in the first housing 10.

[0033] Furthermore, the second substrate 50 may have an insulating member (not shown) disposed on at least a portion of the front surface of the printed circuit board 51. The insulating member insulates the electronic components disposed on the printed circuit board 51 from other components such as the heat dissipation members 71 and 72. The insulating member may be, for example, an insulating sheet made of a material such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or polyimide.

[0034] 3 , first housing 10 is a housing located at the power output end of terminal 52, and houses second board 50. As described above, front surface 10a of first housing 10 on which connection port 2b is formed corresponds to front surface 2a of wiring device 2 exposed on the front surface of outlet 1. Connection port 2b is an elongated hole extending in the left-right direction, and is formed in the center in the left-right and up-down directions on front surface 10a of first housing 10 facing forward of wiring device 2.

[0035] The first housing 10 has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the front, with the left-right length being longer than the up-down length. The left-right ends of the first housing 10 are recessed relative to the left-right center portion, which forms the front surface 10a, and protrusions 11 that fit into the mounting frame of the outlet 1 are formed in these recessed portions.

[0036] The material of the first housing 10 can be changed as appropriate depending on the output current value of the wiring device 2, the intended use, the operating environment, etc. For example, when the output current value of the wiring device 2 is large and heat dissipation from the terminals 52 is important, the first housing 10 may be made of metal. As described above, when the second regions 74, 76 of the heat dissipation members 71, 72 abut against the front surface 10a of the first housing 10, heat from the terminals 52 is transferred to the first housing 10 via the second regions 74, 76. Therefore, by constructing the first housing 10 from metal, heat from the terminals 52 is more effectively diffused to the first housing 10, reducing the temperature of the terminals 52. As a result, failure of the wiring device 2 can be suppressed.

[0037] On the other hand, the front surface 10a of the first housing 10 is a portion that can be touched by the user. Therefore, by making the first housing 10 out of resin, heat transfer from the terminals 52 and the first board 40 to the first housing 10 is suppressed. As a result, the temperature of the first housing 10 is reduced, and safety is improved. The resin that makes up the first housing 10 is not particularly limited, but examples include urea resin, melamine resin, ABS resin, etc.

[0038] The first housing 10 may also be composed of two or more members. For example, the first housing 10 may be composed of a first member that forms the front surface 2a of the wiring device 2 and a second member that is connected to the first member and forms an internal space that accommodates the second substrate 50. If the second member is a resin member with excellent heat insulation properties, the first member may be a metal member. Alternatively, the second member may be a metal member and the first member may be a resin member.

[0039] The first housing 10 has fixing pieces 12 that form a snap-fit ​​structure 60. The fixing pieces 12 are plate-shaped portions that extend rearward from both the left and right ends of the first housing 10, with one fixing piece 12 formed on each end. The left and right fixing pieces 12 have the same shape and size and are formed to sandwich the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 from both the left and right sides. The fixing pieces 12 abut against the outer surfaces of the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, and press the outer surfaces from the left and right using the elasticity of the material. Each fixing piece 12 has two openings 13 that fit into the protrusions 21 and 31 on the outer surfaces.

[0040] [Second housing and third housing] As shown in Figure 3, the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are housings that house a first board 40 on which electronic components including power conversion components etc. are mounted, and unlike the first housing 10, they are not exposed on the front surface of the outlet 1.

[0041] The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 may be made of resin, but are preferably made of metal. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are preferably made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity in order to efficiently dissipate heat transferred from the heat source to the outside of the device. The metal constituting the second housing 20 and the third housing 30 is not particularly limited, but aluminum or an aluminum alloy is preferred from the viewpoints of thermal conductivity, light weight, processability, etc. The second housing 20 and the third housing 30 are arranged opposite each other with the first substrate 40 sandwiched between them and assembled vertically to form a bottomed rectangular tube shape.

[0042] 4 to 6, the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 are arranged so as to surround at least a portion of the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the terminal 52. More specifically, the heat dissipation member 71 is arranged above the terminal 52 so as to surround a portion of the upper surface 52a of the terminal 52. The heat dissipation member 72 is arranged below the terminal 52 so as to surround a portion of the lower surface 52b of the terminal 52. The heat dissipation members 71 and 72 have the function of diffusing heat from the terminal 52 to the inside of the device, the outside of the device, or both.

[0043] In this embodiment, the heat dissipation members 71, 72 are each made of a single plate material and have the same shape. The heat dissipation members 71, 72 are fixed to the terminals 52 by sandwiching the first regions 73, 75 between a pair of fixing members 90 from above and below. From the perspective of improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52, it is preferable that the heat dissipation members 71, 72 be arranged on both sides of the terminals 52, but they may be arranged on only one side of the terminals 52.

[0044] The heat dissipation members 71, 72 are made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity in order to efficiently dissipate heat from the terminals 52. The metal constituting the heat dissipation members 71, 72 is not particularly limited, but copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, or an aluminum alloy is preferred from the viewpoints of thermal conductivity, light weight, processability, etc.

[0045] The heat dissipation members 71, 72 have first regions 73, 75 that face the surfaces of the terminals 52, and second regions 74, 76 that are connected to the first regions 73, 75 and extend in directions away from the terminals 52. That is, the first region 73 faces the upper surfaces 52a of the terminals 52, and the first region 75 faces the lower surfaces 52b of the terminals 52. In this embodiment, the second regions 74, 76 are configured to be substantially perpendicular to the first regions 73, 75.

[0046] The first regions 73, 75 have the function of transferring heat from the terminals 52 to the second regions 74, 76. The first regions 73, 75 are regions that bend rearward (toward the second substrate 50) from one vertical end of the second regions 74, 76 and extend to face the surfaces of the terminals 52. The first regions 73, 75 may be formed by bending one vertical end of the second regions 74, 76 rearward over the entire left-right area. However, in this embodiment, the first regions 73, 75 are formed by bending one vertical end of the second regions 74, 76 rearward over a portion of the left-right area. In other words, the left-right length of the first regions 73, 75 is smaller than the left-right length of the second regions 74, 76.

[0047] The first regions 73, 75 are fixed so as not to move in the left-right direction by being inserted into an opening 93 and a recess 94 provided in a fixing member 90 (described later). In addition, the end portions (rear end portions) of the first regions 73, 75 on the second substrate 50 side abut against a step 95 provided in the fixing member 90 (described later). This prevents the first regions 73, 75 from moving rearward.

[0048] The left-right lengths of the first regions 73, 75 may vary in the front-rear direction, but in this embodiment, they are constant in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the left-right lengths of the first regions 73, 75 are preferably equal to or greater than the left-right lengths of the upper surface 52a and the lower surface 52b of the terminals 52. In this case, the area of ​​the first regions 73, 75 facing the surfaces of the terminals 52 is sufficiently secured. As a result, thermal conduction between the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72 is promoted, further improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52.

[0049] The front-to-rear length of the first regions 73, 75 is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 40% or more, and even more preferably 60% or more of the front-to-rear length of the upper surface 52a and the lower surface 52b of the terminal 52. In this case, the area of ​​the first regions 73, 75 facing the surface of the terminal 52 is sufficiently secured, further improving the heat dissipation of the terminal 52. On the other hand, if the front-to-rear length of the first regions 73, 75 is too large, the first regions 73, 75 may come into contact with the second substrate 50, potentially causing a short circuit or the like. Therefore, the front-to-rear length of the first regions 73, 75 is preferably 90% or less of the front-to-rear length of the upper surface 52a and the lower surface 52b of the terminal 52. Therefore, an example of a suitable range for the front-to-rear length of the first regions 73, 75 is 20% or more and 90% or less of the front-to-rear length of the upper surface 52a and lower surface 52b of the terminal 52, more preferably 40% or more and 90% or less, and even more preferably 60% or more and 90% or less.

[0050] In the present embodiment, the thickness of the first regions 73, 75 is substantially uniform within the plane. The thickness of the first regions 73, 75 can be changed as appropriate depending on the size of the terminal 52, the output current value of the terminal 52, and the like. The thickness of the first regions 73, 75 is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

[0051] As described above, the second regions 74, 76 are substantially perpendicular to the first regions 73, 75 and do not face the surfaces of the terminals 52. The second regions 74, 76 have the function of dissipating heat transferred from the surfaces of the terminals 52 to the first regions 73, 75 to the inside of the device, the outside of the device, or both. Therefore, the larger the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76, the greater the contact area between the second regions 74, 76 and the first housing 10 or the air inside the first housing 10, thereby promoting heat dissipation via the second regions 74, 76. From the viewpoint of improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52, the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76 is preferably 100% or more, more preferably 120% or more, and even more preferably 150% or more of the area of ​​the upper surface 52a or the lower surface 52b of the terminals 52.

[0052] The second regions 74, 76 each include a protruding region 77, 78 that protrudes more toward the center in the up-down direction than the first regions 73, 75. The protruding regions 77, 78 are disposed on both left and right sides of the second regions 74, 76. The provision of the protruding regions 77, 78 increases the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76. As a result, heat dissipation via the second regions 74, 76 is further promoted, and the heat dissipation performance of the terminal 52 is further improved.

[0053] 6 , the second regions 74, 76 are preferably provided at positions farther from the second substrate 50 than the axial center of the terminals 52 in a cross section parallel to the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the terminals 52, i.e., further forward (toward the front surface 10a of the first housing 10) than the axial center of the terminals 52. Inside the first housing 10, the temperature of the air on the front side, away from the second substrate 50 on which heat-generating electronic components are mounted, is lower than the temperature of the air on the rear side (toward the second substrate 50). Therefore, by providing the second regions 74, 76 forward of the axial center of the terminals 52, heat dissipation via the second regions 74, 76 is promoted, further improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52.

[0054] Furthermore, if the second regions 74, 76 are provided rearward of the axial center of the terminals 52, heat from the electronic components included in the second substrate 50 may be transferred to the second regions 74, 76, which may actually increase the temperature of the terminals 52. Therefore, by providing the second regions 74, 76 forward of the axial center of the terminals 52, it is possible to prevent heat from the electronic components included in the second substrate 50 from being transferred to the terminals 52 via the second regions 74, 76.

[0055] In the present embodiment, as described above, the front surfaces of the second regions 74, 76 abut against the front surface 10 a of the first housing 10. This allows heat from the terminals 52 to be dissipated to the outside of the device via the heat dissipation members 71, 72 and the front surface 10 a of the first housing 10.

[0056] The front surfaces of the second regions 74, 76 (surfaces on the front surface 10a side of the first housing 10) do not have to be in contact with the front surface 10a of the first housing 10. In this case, heat from the terminals 52 is dissipated to the air inside the first housing 10 via the heat dissipation members 71, 72. Furthermore, when the second regions 74, 76 are not in contact with the front surface 10a of the first housing 10, heat transfer to the first housing 10 is suppressed, and the temperature of the front surface 10a of the first housing 10 decreases.

[0057] The rear surfaces (surfaces on the second substrate 50 side) of the second regions 74, 76 abut against a fixing member 90, which will be described later. That is, the second regions 74, 76 in this embodiment are sandwiched between the front surface 10a of the first housing 10 and the fixing member 90. This prevents the heat dissipation members 71, 72 from shifting in the front-to-rear direction. Note that a heat-resistant and adhesive sheet material or the like may be inserted between the second regions 74, 76 and the fixing member 90.

[0058] The vertical lengths of the second regions 74, 76 are not particularly limited as long as the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76 can be sufficiently secured. In this embodiment, the vertical lengths of the second regions 74, 76 are approximately the same as the vertical length of the fixing member 90. Therefore, in the vertical direction, the upper end of the second region 74 is approximately aligned with the upper end of the fixing member 90, and the lower end of the second region 76 is approximately aligned with the lower end of the fixing member 90. Note that the vertical lengths of the second regions 74, 76 may be greater than the vertical length of the fixing member 90. For example, the second regions 74, 76 may abut against the upper or lower surface of the first housing 10, respectively. In this case, a heat dissipation path is formed through which heat is dissipated from the terminals 52 to the outside of the device via the heat dissipation members 71, 72 and the upper or lower surface of the first housing 10.

[0059] Furthermore, the left-right length of the second regions 74, 76 is preferably 140% or more, more preferably 170% or more, and even more preferably 200% or more of the front-rear length of the terminal 52. In this case, the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76 increases, and heat dissipation through the second regions 74, 76 is promoted.

[0060] In the present embodiment, the left-right length of the second regions 74, 76 is approximately the same as the left-right length of the fixing member 90, but may be greater than the left-right length of the fixing member 90. For example, the second regions 74, 76 may abut against the right or left surface of the first housing 10. In this case, a heat dissipation path is formed through which heat is dissipated from the terminals 52 to the outside of the device via the heat dissipation members 71, 72 and the right or left surface of the first housing 10.

[0061] 4 , the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are interposed between the surfaces of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71 and 72. More specifically, the heat transfer member 81 is interposed between the upper surface 52a of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation member 71, and the heat transfer member 82 is interposed between the lower surface 52b of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation member 72. The heat transfer members 81 and 82 promote thermal conduction between the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71 and 72, thereby contributing to improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52. From the viewpoint of improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52, it is preferable that the heat transfer members 81 and 82 be disposed on both sides of the terminals 52, but they may be disposed on only one side of the terminals 52.

[0062] When the heat dissipation members 71, 72 are sandwiched between the pair of fixing members 90, the heat transfer members 81, 82 are pressed in the vertical direction by the heat dissipation members 71, 72 and the fixing members 90. As a result, the heat transfer members 81, 82 are fixed to the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72. The heat transfer members 81, 82 are also inserted into openings 93 provided in the fixing members 90, which will be described later.

[0063] The heat transfer members 81, 82 are preferably sized to cover the entire area where the surfaces of the terminals 52 and the first regions 73, 75 of the heat dissipation members 71, 72 face each other. This further promotes thermal conduction between the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72, thereby improving the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52. In this embodiment, the left-right lengths of the heat transfer members 81, 82 are designed to be slightly larger than the left-right lengths of the upper surface 52a and the lower surface 52b of the terminals 52. Furthermore, the heat transfer members 81, 82 extend rearward beyond the first regions 73, 75. That is, the heat transfer members 81, 82 have an area that abuts the fixing member 90 in addition to an area that abuts the first regions 73, 75.

[0064] The heat transfer members 81, 82 are preferably compressible elastic bodies having higher thermal conductivity than general resins. One example of a suitable heat transfer member 81, 82 is a sheet made of flexible resin and thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin. The thickness of the heat transfer members 81, 82 is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 2 mm or less. The thickness and size of the heat transfer members 81, 82 can be changed as appropriate depending on the size of the terminals 52, the output current value of the terminals 52, and other factors.

[0065] The heat transfer members 81, 82 may be adhesive and may be attachable to the surfaces of the terminals 52 or the surfaces of the heat dissipation members 71, 72. In this case, it is easy to arrange the heat transfer members 81, 82. Alternatively, the heat transfer members 81, 82 may be attached to the surfaces of the terminals 52 or the surfaces of the heat dissipation members 71, 72 using an adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like.

[0066] The resin constituting the heat transfer members 81, 82 may be any flexible material that can be elastically deformed, and examples thereof include silicone resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, epoxy resin, etc. The thermally conductive filler dispersed in the resin is preferably an insulating filler with high thermal conductivity, and examples thereof include aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, etc. Conventionally known materials can be used for the heat transfer members 81, 82.

[0067] The heat transfer members 81, 82 are preferably arranged in a state compressed in the vertical direction. In this case, they are tightly adhered to the surfaces of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72. As a result, heat conduction between the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72 is promoted, and the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52 is further improved. In other words, if the heat transfer members 81, 82 are not arranged or if the heat transfer members 81, 82 are arranged in a state where they are not compressed in the vertical direction, gaps are likely to occur between the surfaces of the terminals 52 and the heat dissipation members 71, 72.

[0068] The degree of compression (compression rate) of the heat transfer members 81, 82 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 20% or more, and even more preferably 30% or more. The compression rate is calculated using the formula [(uncompressed thickness - compressed thickness) x 100 / uncompressed thickness]. The upper limit of the compression rate is, for example, 90%. The compression rates of the heat transfer members 81, 82 may vary within the plane. For example, the compression rate of the front side (the front surface 10a side of the first housing 10) pressed by the heat dissipation members 71, 72 may be greater than the compression rate of the rear side (the second substrate 50 side) pressed by the fixing member 90.

[0069] 4 , the fixing members 90 are disposed above and below the terminals 52, respectively, and are members that fix the heat dissipation members 71, 72 and the heat transfer members 81, 82 by sandwiching them from above and below. Screw holes 91 are provided on both the left and right sides of the fixing member 90. The fixing member 90 is fixed in the vertical direction by inserting screws 92 into the screw holes 91. The number of screw holes 91 provided in the fixing member 90 can be changed as appropriate depending on the size of the fixing member 90. The fixing member 90 may also be fixed in the vertical direction using an adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like.

[0070] The fixing member 90 may be made of metal, but is preferably made of resin. By making the fixing member 90 out of a resin material, it is possible to prevent short circuits and the like due to contact between the fixing member 90 and the second substrate 50. The resin that makes up the fixing member 90 is not particularly limited, but examples include urea resin, melamine resin, and ABS resin.

[0071] An opening 93 extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided in the surface at the center in the up-down direction of the fixing member 90. In addition, recesses 94 recessed outward in the left-to-right direction are provided on both the left and right sides of the front side of the opening 93. In addition, a step 95 is provided on the rear side of the opening 93 against which the end portions (rear end portions) of the first regions 73, 75 on the second substrate 50 side abut.

[0072] The opening 93 accommodates the first regions 73 and 75 of the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 and the heat transfer members 81 and 82. More specifically, the first regions 73 and 75 and the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are stacked on top of each other in the front side of the opening 93, i.e., the area without the step 95. Only the heat transfer members 81 and 82 are arranged in the rear side of the opening 93, i.e., the area with the step 95. The compression ratio of the heat transfer members 81 and 82 can be changed by varying the depth (vertical length) of the opening 93. The depth of the opening 93 on the front side is approximately equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the first regions 73 and 75 and the heat transfer members 81 and 82 in the compressed state. The depth of the opening 93 on the rear side is approximately equal to the thickness of the heat transfer members 81 and 82 in the compressed state. The left-right length of the opening 93 is approximately equal to the left-right length of the heat transfer members 81 and 82. As a result, the opening 93 functions as a guide that regulates the positions of the heat transfer members 81 and 82 .

[0073] The recesses 94 are provided on both the left and right sides of the opening 93, and the first regions 73, 75 are inserted into the recesses 94. The vertical length of the recesses 94 is approximately the same as the thickness of the first regions 73, 75. This fixes the first regions 73, 75 so that they cannot move in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the front-rear length of the recesses 94 is approximately the same as the front-rear length of the first regions 73, 75.

[0074] Second Embodiment A wiring device 2A according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the wiring device 2A with the first housing 10 removed. In the following, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components common to the first embodiment, and redundant description will be omitted. Differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0075] 7 , the wiring device 2A differs from the wiring device 2 of the first embodiment in the shapes of heat dissipation members 71, 72. More specifically, the heat dissipation members 71, 72 of the second embodiment have first regions 73, 75 that face the surfaces of the terminals, second regions 74, 76 that are substantially perpendicular to the first regions 73, 75, and third regions 79, 80 that cover parts of the outer surfaces of the fixing member 90 in the vertical direction. Note that the shapes of the first regions 73, 75 of the second embodiment are similar to the shapes of the first regions 73, 75 of the first embodiment.

[0076] 7 , the second regions 74, 76 of the second embodiment are configured to cover not only the surface on the front side of the fixing member 90 (the front surface 10a side of the first housing 10) but also parts of the right and left sides of the fixing member 90. This allows the area of ​​the second regions 74, 76 to be increased, which promotes heat dissipation via the second regions 74, 76. As a result, the heat dissipation of the terminals 52 can be further improved.

[0077] As described above, the heat dissipation members 71, 72 have third regions 79, 80 that cover a portion of the outer surface of the fixing member 90 in the vertical direction. As a result, heat from the terminals 52 is dissipated to the air inside the first housing 10 via the third regions 79, 80 in addition to the second regions 74, 76. This further improves the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52. The front-rear length of the third regions 79, 80 is, for example, approximately the same as the front-rear length of the first regions 73, 75. When the heat dissipation members 71, 72 of the second embodiment are used, it is preferable to provide an insulating member (not shown) on the printed circuit board 51 that insulates the heat dissipation members 71, 72 from electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board 51.

[0078] Third Embodiment A wiring device 2B according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the wiring device 2B with the first housing 10 removed. In the following, the same reference numerals will be used to designate components common to the first and second embodiments, and redundant description will be omitted. Differences from the first and second embodiments will be mainly described.

[0079] 8 , the wiring device 2B differs from the wiring devices 2 and 2A of the first and second embodiments in that it includes a block-shaped heat dissipation member 110. The wiring device 2B also differs from the wiring devices 2 and 2A of the first and second embodiments in that it does not include a fixing member 90.

[0080] As described above, the heat dissipation member 110 of the third embodiment has a block shape and includes a through hole 111 provided in the center in the left-right and up-down directions, extending in the front-to-rear direction. The terminals 52 are inserted into the through holes 111. In this way, the heat dissipation member 110 is held by the terminals 52.

[0081] The heat dissipation member 110 of the third embodiment has a block shape and is therefore larger in volume than the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 of the first and second embodiments. Therefore, the heat dissipation member 110 absorbs more heat from the terminals 52. As a result, the heat dissipation performance of the terminals 52 is further improved. When the heat dissipation member 110 of the third embodiment is used, it is preferable to provide an insulating member (not shown) on the entire surface of the printed circuit board 51 to insulate the electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board 51 from the heat dissipation members 71 and 72, as in the case of using the heat dissipation members 71 and 72 of the second embodiment.

[0082] The above-described embodiments may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in the first, second, and third embodiments, the housing of the wiring device 2 is configured by assembling the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, which are separated in the vertical direction, in the vertical direction. However, this is not limited to this. The housing of the wiring device 2 may be configured, for example, by assembling the second housing 20 and the third housing 30, which are separated in the horizontal direction, in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the housing of the wiring device 2 may be configured by assembling the rectangular cylindrical second housing 20 and the third housing 30, which closes the rear end opening of the second housing 20, in the front-rear direction.

[0083] Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments described above, the heat dissipation members 71, 72 are arranged so that the first regions 73, 75 face the upper surface 52a and lower surface 52b of the terminal 52, but may be arranged so that they face the right and left side surfaces of the terminal 52. In this case, the heat dissipation members 71, 72 are fixed to the terminal 52 by being sandwiched from the left and right directions between a pair of fixing members 90. Note that when the first regions 73, 75 are arranged so that they face the right and left side surfaces of the terminal 52, it is preferable that the right and left side surfaces of the terminal 52 be flat surfaces in order to improve the heat dissipation properties of the terminal 52.

[0084] The present disclosure will be further described by the following embodiments. Configuration 1: A wiring device comprising: a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted; a cylindrical terminal provided on the substrate and configured to output DC power; and a heat dissipation member arranged to surround at least a portion of the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the terminal. Configuration 2: The wiring device according to Configuration 1, further comprising a pair of fixing members that sandwich the terminal and the heat dissipation member. Configuration 3: The wiring device according to Configuration 1 or 2, further comprising a heat transfer member interposed between the terminal and the heat dissipation member, the heat transfer member being arranged in a compressed state by the terminal and the heat dissipation member. Configuration 4: The wiring device according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, wherein the heat dissipation member has a first region facing a surface of the terminal and a second region that is continuous with the first region and extends in a direction away from the terminal. Configuration 5: The wiring device according to Configuration 4, wherein, in a cross section parallel to the axial direction of the terminal, the second region is located farther from the substrate than an axial center of the terminal. Configuration 6: The wiring device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, further comprising a housing that houses the board and the terminals, the heat dissipation member being in contact with the housing.Configuration 7: The wiring device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the heat dissipation member is made of metal.Configuration 8: The wiring device according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein an insulating member is disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the board on which the terminals are provided.

[0085] 1 Outlet, 2, 2X, 2Y Wiring device, 2a, 3a Front surface, 2b, 3b Connection port, 3 Power outlet device, 4 Decorative plate, 4a Opening, 10 First housing, 11 Protrusion, 12 Fixing piece, 13 Opening, 20 Second housing, 21, 31 Protrusion, 30 Third housing, 40 First board, 41, 51 Printed circuit board, 42 Semiconductor element, 43 Transformer, 44 Common mode coil, 45 Electrolytic capacitor, 50 Second board, 52 Terminal, 52a Upper surface, 52b Lower surface, 60 Snap fit structure, 71, 72 Heat dissipation member, 73, 75 First region, 74, 76 Second region, 77, 78 Protruding region, 79, 80 Third region, 81, 82 Heat transfer member, 90 Fixing member, 91 Screw hole, 92 Screw, 93 Opening, 94 Recess, 95 Step, 100 Wall, 101 Electronic device, 102 USB connector, 103 Cable, 110 Heat dissipation member, 111 Through hole

Claims

1. A wiring device comprising: a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted; a cylindrical terminal provided on the substrate and configured to output DC power; and a heat dissipation member disposed so as to surround at least a portion of the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the terminal.

2. The wiring device according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of fixing members that sandwich the terminal and the heat dissipation member.

3. The wiring device according to claim 1, further comprising a heat transfer member interposed between the terminal and the heat dissipation member, the heat transfer member being arranged in a compressed state by the terminal and the heat dissipation member.

4. The wiring device as described in claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member has: a first region facing a surface of the terminal; and a second region continuous with the first region and extending in a direction away from the terminal.

5. The wiring device according to claim 4, wherein in a cross section parallel to the axial direction of the terminal, the second region is provided at a position farther from the substrate than the axial center of the terminal.

6. The wiring device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing that houses the board and the terminals, the heat dissipation member and the housing being in contact with each other.

7. The wiring device according to claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation member is made of metal.

8. The wiring device according to claim 1, wherein an insulating member is disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate on which the terminals are provided.

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