Wiring device for supplying power

Abstract

A wiring device (2) for supplying power includes a substrate (50), a receptacle connector (52), and a housing (10) that accommodates the substrate and the receptacle connector. The housing has: a housing body (20); an inner cover (30) which is attached to cover the upper end of the housing body and which has an inner hole (31) passing therethrough at a prescribed position in the vertical direction of the receptacle connector; and an outer cover (60) which is attached to the upper side of the inner cover and in which, at the upper part thereof, an insertion port (2b) for insertion of a plug connector is opened upward. A sealing means (66) seals between the receptacle connector and the inner hole of the inner cover or a portion surrounding the inner hole.

Description

Wiring devices that supply power

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wiring device that supplies power, such as a wiring device that includes a USB (Universal Serial Bus) terminal.

[0002] Conventionally, USB outlets have been widely used as wiring devices for supplying DC power to electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet devices, and laptop computers. A wiring device for supplying power, such as a USB outlet, includes a circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, terminals for outputting DC power, and a housing surrounding the circuit board and terminals. The electronic components may include, for example, a power conversion component for converting AC power to DC power and an output circuit component for outputting the DC power from the terminals. The electronic components may also include an output circuit component for outputting voltage-converted AC power from the terminals. These electronic components may be distributed across multiple circuit boards or may be mounted on a single circuit board. Terminals for outputting power are connected to the upper side of the circuit board on which the output circuit component is mounted. The wiring device also includes a receptacle connector having a cylindrical guide portion and terminals inside the guide portion. The receptacle connector guides a plug connector for connecting a terminal inserted from outside to the terminal using the guide portion.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a wiring device in which a cover is provided on the outside of the wiring device so as to cover an insertion port into which a plug connector is inserted.

[0004] JP 2014-44914 A Japanese Patent No. 6491231 A

[0005] When the above-mentioned wiring device is installed on a top plate of a fixture or the like, an insertion port for inserting a plug connector may be opened upward at the top of the wiring device so that the plug connector can be inserted into the wiring device from above and connected to the terminal.

[0006] However, in wiring devices with an insertion port facing upward, if a container containing liquid such as water falls onto the top surface of the top panel, the liquid may enter the housing through the insertion port and penetrate into the electronic components on the circuit board inside the housing. If power is applied in this state, this could cause malfunctions such as breakdowns of the electronic components. To prevent liquid from entering the electronic components inside the housing, it is possible to provide a cover that covers the outside of the insertion port of the housing, as in the configurations described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. However, these configurations significantly change the appearance. Furthermore, the cover gets in the way during use.

[0007] In addition, to prevent liquid from entering the electronic component position, it is also possible to seal the gap between the upper end of the guide portion of the receptacle connector and the insertion opening of the housing with a sealant such as a potting material. However, in this case, if the sealant is applied from the front side of the wiring device, the sealant may deteriorate the appearance and may impair the ease of inserting and removing the plug connector into and from the insertion opening at the upper end of the guide portion. Furthermore, if the sealant is applied from the back side of the wiring device, the manufacturing process may become more difficult and the insertion and removal of the connector may be impaired. Therefore, in a wiring device with an insertion opening for inserting a plug connector that opens upward, it is desirable to eliminate the need for a cover to cover the outside of the insertion opening, prevent deterioration of the wiring device's appearance and the insertion and removal of the connector, and simplify the manufacturing process while preventing liquid from entering the electronic components on the board.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure is a wiring device for supplying electric power, which comprises a substrate, a receptacle connector connected to the upper side of the substrate and having a cylindrical guide portion and a terminal inside the guide portion, and a housing that houses the substrate and the receptacle connector, wherein the housing includes a housing main body having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion, an inner cover attached to cover the upper end of the housing main body and having an inner hole that penetrates in the vertical direction, and an outer cover attached above the inner cover to cover the inner cover and having an insertion port at the top that opens upward for inserting a plug connector, and the space between the inner hole of the inner cover or the portion surrounding the inner hole and the receptacle connector is sealed with a sealing means.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, in a configuration in which the insertion opening for inserting a plug connector faces upward, the inner cover provided below the outer cover can block liquids such as water that have entered the housing and prevent liquids from entering the position of the electronic components on the board through the gap between the inner cover and the receptacle connector. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a cover to block the outside of the insertion opening in the housing to waterproof the electronic components. Furthermore, there is no need to seal the gap between the upper end of the guide portion of the receptacle connector and the insertion opening in the housing with a sealant such as a potting material, which prevents deterioration of the appearance and the ease of insertion and removal of the connector, and simplifies the manufacturing process when sealing with a sealant from the back side of the wiring device.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an outlet using a wiring device that supplies power according to a first embodiment is in use. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a wiring device that supplies DC power according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the wiring device of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2, showing the wiring device of FIG. 2 in a state in which a portion is omitted. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 in a second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 in a third embodiment. FIG. 9 is an enlarged view equivalent to section D in FIG. 6 in a fourth embodiment.

[0011] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a wiring device for supplying DC power 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 obtained by selectively combining the components of the multiple embodiments and variations described below.

[0012] [First embodiment] A wiring device 2 for supplying power according to a first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 6. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an outlet 1 incorporating the wiring device 2 is in use. Note that, although the following describes a wiring device 2 for supplying DC power as a wiring device for supplying power, the wiring device of the present disclosure can also be a wiring device for supplying AC power.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, outlet 1 is a wiring device comprising two wiring devices 2 for supplying DC power and one power outlet device 3, and is installed on a tabletop 100 of a desk, which is a piece of furniture. In this state, insertion openings 2b, which are provided in the housings constituting each wiring device 2 and through which plug connectors 102 are inserted, are open facing upward. Outlet 1 is equipped with a decorative plate 4 having three openings 4a formed in a horizontal row, and top surfaces 2a, 3a of wiring devices 2 and power outlet device 3 are exposed through the three openings 4a of decorative plate 4.

[0014] The decorative plate 4 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and conceals the mounting holes formed in the top panel 100 and the mounting frame installed around the holes. 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 by, for example, hooking tabs formed on its back surface into the holes in the metal plate.

[0015] The outlet 1 is installed with the wiring device 2 and the power outlet device 3 inserted into a construction hole formed in the top plate 100. On the top surface of the outlet 1, only top surfaces 2a, 3a of the wiring device 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 device 2 includes electronic components such as a power conversion component that converts AC power to DC power, and a receptacle connector including a terminal that outputs the DC power, and is installed on the top plate 100 so that an insertion port 2b for inserting a plug connector 102 (described later) faces upward.

[0016] 1 , two wiring devices 2 are disposed adjacent to each other. In the outlet, the relative positions of the wiring devices 2 and the power outlet devices 3 are not particularly limited, and the number of wiring devices 2 is also not particularly limited. Furthermore, the outlet equipped with the wiring device 2 may be equipped with an optical outlet, a LAN outlet, a telephone line outlet, etc. instead of the power outlet devices 3, or may be equipped with only the wiring device 2.

[0017] 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 a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slot-shaped insertion opening 2b of the wiring device 2. The up-down direction is a direction along the vertical direction, and the left-to-right direction is a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction. In this example, the up-down direction is the direction in which the plug connector 102 is inserted into and removed from the wiring device 2. Furthermore, the up-down direction refers to the up-down direction when the wiring device 2 is in use, and does not restrict the direction when the wiring device 2 is not in use, such as when it is assembled.

[0018] An example of the wiring device 2 is a USB outlet device. The USB outlet device is a device to which a plug connector 102, which is a USB connector, 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 plug 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. Two insertion ports 2b for the wiring device 2 and an insertion port 3b for the power outlet device 3 are provided side by side in the left-right direction on the top surface of the outlet 1.

[0019] In this specification, the term "USB" includes various generations (transfer speed standards) of USB, such as USB 1.0, USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, USB 3.2, and USB 4. 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 the tabletop 100, but the wiring apparatus 2 may also be installed on furniture such as shelves, countertops, and beds, or on vehicles such as automobiles, airplanes, and railroad cars.

[0020] 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. In Fig. 2 and Figs. 4 to 6 described below, the front-to-rear direction of the wiring device 2 is indicated by X, the left-to-right direction by Y, and the up-down direction by Z.

[0021] 2 and 3 , the wiring device 2 includes, from the bottom, a housing 10 that forms the external shape of the device, which includes a housing body 20, an inner cover 30, and an outer cover 60. The wiring device 2 has an external shape that is generally rectangular parallelepiped, with the vertical length greater than the horizontal length greater than the front-to-rear length. However, the relationship between the vertical length, horizontal length, and front-to-rear length of the wiring device 2 is not limited to this.

[0022] The housing 10 has an internal space 70 (see FIG. 4 ) that houses a first board 40 (see FIG. 5 ), a second board 50, and a receptacle connector 52, which will be described later. The housing 10 is configured to include a housing main body 20 having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 21 and a bottom portion 22 that closes the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 21, an inner cover 30 attached to the housing main body 20 so as to cover the upper end, and an outer cover 60 attached to the upper side of the inner cover 30 so as to cover the inner cover 30.

[0023] The housing body 20 is a rectangular box-like structure with an open top and a closed bottom. The inner cover 30 is separably fixed to the housing body 20 by a fitting structure. The lower end of the outer cover 60 abuts against the upper end of the inner cover 30. In this state, the outer cover 60 is separably fixed to the inner cover 30 by screws or the like. As a result, the housing body 20, the inner cover 30, and the outer cover 60 are separably integrated to form the housing 10. At least one of the housing body 20, the inner cover 30, and the outer cover 60 may be configured by connecting two separate members in the front-to-rear or left-to-right direction of the housing 10.

[0024] 3, the inner cover 30 has an inner hole 31 at its upper end, which penetrates in the vertical direction. A cylindrical guide portion 53 constituting a receptacle connector 52 (described later) passes through the inner hole 31 at a predetermined position in the vertical direction.

[0025] The housing body 20, the inner cover 30, and the outer cover 60 may each be fixed by a snap-fit ​​structure. The snap-fit ​​structure is configured such that, for example, when fixing the housing body 20 and the inner cover 30, a pair of fixing pieces extend from both ends of one of the housing body 20 and the inner cover 30 toward the outer surface of the other member, and protrusions protruding from the outer surface of the other member are engaged with openings formed in each fixing piece, thereby sandwiching and fixing the other member from both sides with the pair of fixing pieces.

[0026] An insertion port 2b, which is an opening through which the plug connector 102 can be inserted, is formed facing upward at the top of the outer cover 60. The surface of the outer cover 60 forms the upper surface 2a of the wiring device 2 in the outlet 1. That is, the wiring device 2 is fixed to the mounting frame of the outlet 1 so that the surface of the outer cover 60 on which the insertion port 2b is formed is exposed from the opening 4a of the decorative plate 4.

[0027] In this wiring device 2, the insertion opening 2b faces upward, and liquid can easily enter the insertion opening 2b if the container falls over on the top surface of the top plate 100, for example. This can cause liquid to seep into the electronic components on the circuit board inside the housing, potentially resulting in malfunctions such as breakdowns of the electronic components. In this embodiment, to resolve this issue, the receptacle connector 52 connected to the upper side of the circuit board is inserted through the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30 inside the housing 10, and the gap between the inner hole 31 and the receptacle connector 52 is sealed with a sealing means. This will be described in detail below.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2, showing the wiring device 2 in a partially omitted state. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken along line BB and CC in Fig. 2, respectively.

[0029] The wiring device 2 includes a first board 40 (FIGS. 5 and 6) on which electronic components including power conversion components that convert AC power to DC power are mounted, a receptacle connector 52 that outputs DC power, and a second board 50 on which electronic components including output circuit components that output DC power are mounted.

[0030] 5 and 6 , the first substrate 40 has a printed circuit board 41 and electronic components, including power conversion components, arranged on the printed circuit board 41. The second substrate 50 has a printed circuit board 51 and electronic components, including output circuit components, arranged on the printed circuit board 51. The receptacle connector 52 is a USB terminal, and is connected to the upper side of the printed circuit board 51 of the second substrate 50 and mounted on the printed circuit board 51.

[0031] The printed circuit boards 41, 51 of each board 40, 50 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction Z. The housing body 20 surrounds the printed circuit board 41 of the first board 40 and the electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board 41. The inner cover 30 surrounds the printed circuit board 51 of the second board 50, the electronic components arranged on the printed circuit board 51, and the lower end of the receptacle connector 52. The outer cover 60 surrounds the upper end of the receptacle connector 52. The printed circuit board 41 of the first board 40 may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction X or the left-to-right direction Y. In this case, a portion of the printed circuit board 41 of the first board 40 may extend into the inner cover 30. Conversely, the printed circuit board 51 of the second board 50 may be arranged inside the housing body 20. The configurations of the housing body 20, the inner cover 30, and the outer cover 60 will be described in detail later.

[0032] Each component of the wiring device 2 will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6 as appropriate. [First Board] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first board 40 is a printed wiring board including electronic components arranged on a printed circuit board 41. The first board 40 includes a power supply circuit for converting AC power supplied from an external commercial power source 104 into DC current and outputting the DC current to the receptacle connector 52 of the second board 50. The power supply circuit is configured by electrically connecting power conversion components via wiring formed on and inside the printed circuit board 41. The first board 40 is provided with terminals connected to the commercial power source 104. The power supply circuit has a primary-side circuit, which is the commercial power connection side of a transformer 43 described below. The primary-side circuit is connected to a secondary-side circuit as described below.

[0033] The first substrate 40 includes a semiconductor element 42, a transformer 43, a common mode coil (not shown), an electrolytic capacitor, and the like, which are broadly defined power conversion components that constitute the power supply circuit. Examples of the semiconductor element 42 include a switching element, a diode, and a transistor. In FIGS. 5 and 6 , the transformer 43 is disposed on the first surface (the upper surface in FIGS. 5 and 6 ) of the printed circuit board 41, and multiple semiconductor elements 42 are disposed on the second surface (the lower surface in FIGS. 5 and 6 ). However, the arrangement of the electronic components is not limited to this. The transformer 43 is used to step down the voltage of the secondary circuit from the voltage of the primary circuit.

[0034] The first substrate 40 may be fixed to the inner surface of the housing body 20 via a member (not shown). For example, the first substrate 40 may be fixed to the housing body 20 in a state where heat dissipation members made of a highly thermally conductive material are sandwiched between both ends of the printed circuit board 41 of the first substrate 40 in the left-right direction Y and the inner surface of the housing body 20. This can improve the heat dissipation of electronic components mounted on the first substrate 40 when the housing body 20 is made of a highly heat dissipating material such as metal.

[0035] [Second Board] The second board 50 is a printed wiring board including an output circuit arranged on a printed circuit board 51, and a receptacle connector 52 (described later) is mounted and connected to the output circuit. The second board 50 is electrically connected to the first board 40. The output circuit has a function of outputting DC power converted by the power supply circuit of the first board 40 to the receptacle connector 52. The output circuit has a secondary side circuit that is the power output side of the transformer 43 provided on the first board 40.

[0036] The second substrate 50 may be fixed to the inner surface of the inner cover 30 via a member (not shown). For example, the second substrate 50 may be fixed to the inner cover 30 in a state where a heat dissipation member made of a highly thermally conductive material is sandwiched between both ends in the left-right direction Y of the printed circuit board 51 of the second substrate 50 and the inner surface of the inner cover 30. This allows for improved heat dissipation of electronic components mounted on the second substrate 50 when the inner cover 30 is made of a highly heat dissipating material such as metal.

[0037] On the upper side of the second substrate 50, there are arranged electronic components such as a receptacle connector 52 and an electrolytic capacitor (not shown).

[0038] The receptacle connector 52 is disposed, for example, in the center of the upper surface of the printed circuit board 51. The receptacle connector 52 is a USB terminal to which the plug connector 102 can be connected, and is formed in a flat, cylindrical shape overall. The type of USB terminal is not particularly limited. The receptacle connector 52 is disposed so that the plug connector 102 can be inserted and removed through an insertion port 2b, which is an opening formed in the outer cover 60. In this embodiment, the receptacle connector 52 is disposed so that the plug connector 102 can be inserted and removed in the vertical direction.

[0039] [Housing body] The housing body 20 is a housing that forms an internal space 71 that houses the first board 40 on which the power conversion components are mounted, and is not exposed on the top surface of the outlet 1. The housing body 20 is made of a resin such as melamine resin, urea resin, or ABS resin. The housing body 20 may also be made of a metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0040] The housing main body 20 has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above, and the lower end of a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 21 is closed by a bottom portion 22. The bottom portion 22 is formed with a hole 25 for leading a power line 105 connecting a commercial power source 104 and the first board 40 to the outside of the housing. The position of the hole 25 is not limited in the housing main body 20. A cylindrical thin wall portion 21a with a rectangular cross section protrudes upward along the entire periphery from the inner periphery of the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 21. The lower end of an inner cover 30 (described below) is fitted and fixed to the thin wall portion 21a.

[0041] [Inner Cover] The inner cover 30 is a housing that forms an internal space 72 that accommodates the second board 50, and is joined between the housing body 20 and the outer cover 60 in the vertical direction. Like the housing body 20, the inner cover 30 is not exposed on the top surface of the outlet 1. The inner cover 30 is generally rectangular in top view and includes a tubular portion 32 that has a rectangular cross section, and an upper end plate portion 33 that is joined to the upper end of the tubular portion 32 and has a mountain-shaped shape in front view. The upper end plate portion 33 functions as a partition that separates the internal space 71 of the housing body 20, the internal space 72 of the inner cover 30, and the internal space 73 of the outer cover 60 when the housing 10 is formed.

[0042] A thin wall portion 32a having a rectangular cross section and a cylindrical shape projects downward along the entire periphery from the outer periphery of the lower end of the tube portion 32. The thin wall portion 32a is fitted and fixed to the outer periphery of the thin wall portion 21a at the top of the housing main body 20.

[0043] The upper end plate 33 has on its upper surface a plurality of inclined portions that are inclined downward toward the left-right end, which is a first direction orthogonal to the up-down direction. Specifically, the shapes of both left and right sides of the upper end plate 33 are symmetrical with respect to the center in the left-right direction, and the upper end plate 33 has, from the side closest to the center in the left-right direction, a pair of first inclined portions 34, a pair of second inclined portions 35, and a pair of third inclined portions 36.

[0044] Each first inclined portion 34 slopes downward toward the end of the upper end plate 33 on the side where the corresponding first inclined portion 34 is located. The pair of first inclined portions 34 are connected to each other at the center of the upper end plate 33 in the left-right direction. Each second inclined portion 35 slopes downward toward the end of the upper end plate 33 on the side where the corresponding second inclined portion 35 is located. The downward slope of the second inclined portion 35 is steeper than the downward slope of the first inclined portion 34. Each third inclined portion 36 slopes downward toward the end of the upper end plate 33 on the side where the corresponding third inclined portion 36 is located. The downward slope of the third inclined portion 36 is gentler than the downward slope of the second inclined portion 35. The first inclined portion 34 and the third inclined portion 36 are approximately parallel to each other on each side of the upper end plate 33 in the left-right direction. This makes it easier for liquid such as water to flow toward the left-right end along the slope of one or more inclined portions 34, 35, 36 when it is splashed near the center of the top surface of the upper end plate 33. Instead of the second inclined portion 35, a step surface along the vertical direction may be provided.

[0045] The inclination directions of the first inclined portion 34 and the third inclined portion 36 are not limited to being parallel, and the downward inclination angles may differ. Furthermore, although the upper surface of the upper end plate 33 is inclined in multiple stages on each of the left and right sides, it may also be configured with a single inclined portion with a single inclination angle on each of the left and right sides. In this example, the upper surface of the upper end plate 33 is symmetrical with respect to the center in the left-right direction. However, the upper surface of the upper end plate 33 may also be asymmetrical with respect to the center in the left-right direction, with the shape inclining downward from one end to the other in the left-right direction. On the other hand, in order to facilitate the early discharge of liquid spilled near the center of the upper surface of the upper end plate 33 to the outside, it is preferable that the upper surface of the upper end plate 33 be symmetrical with respect to the center in the left-right direction and inclined downward toward the left and right ends, as shown in the example of Figures 3 to 5. Upper side walls 37 extending vertically and connected to the tubular portion 32 are provided at both front-rear ends of the upper end plate 33.

[0046] An inner hole 31 having a generally oval shape elongated in the left-right direction is formed in the center of the upper end plate 33 so as to penetrate vertically. A vertically intermediate position of a guide portion 53 (described below), which is a predetermined position within the range from the upper end to the lower end of the receptacle connector 52, penetrates the inner hole 31. This will be described in detail later.

[0047] The inner cover 30 is made of, for example, resin. Like the housing body 20, the resin that constitutes the inner cover 30 is not particularly limited, but examples include urea resin, melamine resin, and ABS resin.

[0048] [Outer Cover] The outer cover 60 is a housing that surrounds the upper end of the receptacle connector 52 and is a cover that covers the upper surface of the inner cover 30 .

[0049] An insertion opening 2b, which is a generally oval or other long hole extending in the left-right direction, is formed in the center of the upper end of the outer cover 60, opening upward and penetrating in the up-down direction. When the housing 10 is viewed from one side in the up-down direction, the inner portion of the insertion opening 2b overlaps the inner portion of the inner hole 31. The opening of the insertion opening 2b may be slightly smaller than the opening of the inner hole 31.

[0050] As described above, the upper end surface of the outer cover 60 on which the insertion opening 2 b is formed becomes the upper surface 2 a of the wiring accessory 2 exposed on the upper surface of the outlet 1 .

[0051] The outer cover 60 has a generally rectangular shape in top view, and is a stepped rectangular tube having an upper end wall portion 61 that is a generally rectangular plate elongated in the left-right direction and step portions 62 connected to both left and right ends of the upper end wall portion 61. Multiple insertion openings 2b may be formed, and the shape is not limited to a horizontally elongated shape elongated in the left-right direction, but may also be a vertically elongated shape elongated in the front-to-rear direction. In this case, the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30 and the outer peripheral shape of the receptacle connector 52 are also vertically elongated in the front-to-rear direction.

[0052] Furthermore, grooves 64 having a rectangular cross section are formed in the front-rear middle of the lower end surfaces of the wall portions 63 at both left and right ends of the outer cover 60, reaching both left and right side surfaces. The inner cover 30 is fixed to the outer cover 60 with the lower end surface of the outer cover 60 abutting against the outer periphery of the upper end surface of the inner cover 30. In this state, the grooves 64 and the left and right ends of the upper surface of the inner cover 30 form gaps 65 that allow communication between the inside and outside of the outer cover 60 between the outer peripheral edges of the inner cover 30 and the outer peripheral edges of the outer cover 60 at both left and right ends of the housing 10. This allows liquid that falls on the upper surface of the inner cover 30 and flows along one or more of the inclined portions 34, 35, and 36 to the left and right ends to be discharged through the gaps 65 to the outside of the housing 10.

[0053] The outer cover 60 is made of resin, but may also be made of metal. Like the housing body 20, the resin that constitutes the outer cover 60 is not particularly limited, but examples include urea resin, melamine resin, and ABS resin.

[0054] [Receptacle Connector] The receptacle connector 52 is connected to the upper side of the second board 50 and outputs DC power. Specifically, the receptacle connector 52 includes terminals 54 that output DC power and a cylindrical guide portion 53 that is coupled to the periphery of the terminals 54 and guides the plug connector 102 for connecting to the terminals 54 from above to the terminals 54. The guide portion 53 allows the plug connector 102 to be inserted and removed in the vertical direction. The guide portion 53 has a cylindrical shape whose cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction is elongated in the left-right direction, such as an oval. Figures 3 and 4 show a case where the guide portion 53 has a cylindrical shape with an oval cross section. The guide portion 53 has a shape that allows the cylindrical shell (not shown) of the plug connector 102 to fit inside. Therefore, if the shell has a cylindrical cross section with a rectangular cross section, the guide portion 53 also has a cylindrical cross section with a rectangular cross section.

[0055] Guide portion 53 may be provided with a locking mechanism that locks the shell in accordance with a predetermined standard to which receptacle connector 52 conforms. Guide portion 53 is formed of metal or resin. Guide portion 53 has a through hole 53a that passes through guide portion 53 from the inside to the outside. Guide portion 53 may also have a shape that does not have a through hole that passes through guide portion 53 from the inside to the outside.

[0056] Terminals 54 may be configured according to a predetermined standard to which receptacle connector 52 complies. With the shell of plug connector 102 mated with guide portion 53, a plurality of contacts (not shown) of terminals 54 are electrically connected to a plurality of contacts housed in the shell of plug connector 102. The plurality of contacts of terminals 54 are connected to the circuit of second board 50 via wiring. As a result, DC power is output from second board 50 to electronic device 101 via terminals 54 and plug connector 102.

[0057] The upper end of the guide portion 53 is in contact with or closely faces the periphery of the lower end opening of the insertion port 2b provided in the outer cover 60. This prevents liquid that has entered the insertion port 2b from the outside from directly entering the outside of the guide portion 53 within the inner space of the outer cover 60.

[0058] [Liquid-proof Structure Between the Guide Portion and the Inner Cover] As described above, a predetermined vertically intermediate position of the guide portion 53 of the receptacle connector 52 penetrates the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30. In this state, the gap between the inner periphery of the inner hole 31 and the outer periphery of the guide portion 53 is sealed over the entire circumference by the sealing means 66. In this example, the sealing means 66 is a resin sealing material that is filled over the entire circumference between the inner periphery of the inner hole 31 and the outer periphery of the guide portion 53 and hardened. In FIG. 4 , the sealing means 66 is represented by a sandy area. The sealing means 66 is, for example, a potting material. The potting material is provided in the predetermined position by injecting it in liquid or gel form into the predetermined position and then placing it in a thermostatic chamber for a predetermined time to harden. The potting material is, for example, a resin material such as urethane resin or epoxy resin. This prevents liquid from entering the internal space 70 in which the lower substrates 40, 50 are located from the upper side of the inner cover 30 through the gap between the inner surface of the inner hole 31 and the outer surface of the guide portion 53.

[0059] [Effects] According to the wiring device 2, in a configuration in which the insertion opening 2b faces upward, the inner cover 30 provided below the outer cover 60 can block liquids such as water that enter through the insertion opening 2b through the inside or outside of the guide portion 53. This also prevents liquids from entering the electronic components of each board 40, 50 through the gap between the inner cover 30 and the receptacle connector 52. Furthermore, a cover that blocks the outside of the insertion opening 2b is not required to waterproof the electronic components. Furthermore, since there is no need to seal the gap between the upper end of the guide portion 53 of the receptacle connector 52 and the insertion opening 2b of the housing 10 with a sealant such as a potting material, the appearance of the wiring device 2 and the ease of insertion and removal of the connector are prevented from being deteriorated when sealing the wiring device from the front side with a sealant. Furthermore, this also prevents the difficulty of manufacturing and the deterioration of insertion and removal of the connector when sealing the wiring device from the back side with a sealant.

[0060] For example, in this embodiment, when sealing the gap between the inner periphery of the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30 and the outer periphery of the guide portion 53 with the sealing material 66, first, with multiple components of the wiring device 2 other than the outer cover 60 assembled, the sealing material 66 is injected from above between the inner hole 31 and the guide portion 53. Then, after the sealing material 66 hardens, the outer cover 60 is attached to the assembled structure of the elements of the wiring device 2 other than the outer cover 60. In this manner, the wiring device 2 is formed. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the appearance of the wiring device 2 and the ease of insertion and removal of connectors, and to facilitate the manufacturing process when sealing the wiring device from the back side with a sealant.

[0061] The inner cover 30 also has inclined portions 34, 35, and 36 on its upper surface that slope downward toward the left-right edges perpendicular to the up-down direction. This allows liquid to move outward in the left-right direction, even if it is splashed onto the upper surface of the inner cover 30, rather than remaining near the center of the upper surface of the inner cover 30 in the left-right direction. This prevents liquid from pooling near the sealing means 66 and seeping out from the sealing means 66 into the internal space 72 of the lower inner cover 30. Furthermore, a gap 65 is provided between the outer peripheral edge of the inner cover and the outer peripheral edge of the outer cover at the left-right edges. This allows liquid that flows along the inclined portions 34, 35, and 36 to be discharged to the outside, preventing liquid from pooling inside the housing 10.

[0062] In the configuration of this example, instead of the sealing means 66, an elastic sealing member may be provided around the entire periphery between the inner circumferential surface of the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30 and the outer circumferential surface of the guide portion 53 of the receptacle connector 52. The sealing member is, for example, a ring-shaped member made of rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer resin, such as a rubber O-ring or packing. The sealing member is used by being elastically compressed between the inner circumferential surface of the inner hole 31 of the inner cover 30 and the outer circumferential surface of the guide portion 53 of the receptacle connector 52. Even when such a sealing member is used, it is possible to prevent liquid from entering the positions of the electronic components on each board 40, 50 through the gap between the inner cover 30 and the receptacle connector 52, just as in the case of using the sealing means 66.

[0063] In this example, the predetermined position in the up-down direction of receptacle connector 52 is defined as the vertically intermediate position of guide portion 53, which passes through inner hole 31 of inner cover 30, and the entire periphery is sealed between the inner circumferential surface of inner hole 31 and the outer circumferential surface of receptacle connector 52. On the other hand, the predetermined position in the up-down direction of receptacle connector 52 may be defined as the vertically predetermined position of receptacle connector 52, and the upper end or lower end of the inner hole of inner cover 30 may pass through the inner hole of inner cover 30.

[0064] The inclined portions on the upper surface of the inner cover may be inclined downward toward the end in the front-rear direction, which is a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. For example, the inclined portions may be provided on both sides of the inner hole 31 in the front-rear direction, with each inclined portion inclined downward toward the end on the side where the inclined portion is located in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the upper surface of the inner cover may be provided with not only inclined portions inclined downward toward the end in the first direction, but also inclined portions inclined downward toward the end in a second direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. In this case, for example, the first direction may be the left-right direction, and the second direction may be the front-rear direction. In this case, a gap may be provided between the outer peripheral edge of the inner cover and the outer peripheral edge of the outer cover at each end in the first direction and the second direction, allowing communication between the inside and outside of the outer cover. Alternatively, the upper surface of the inner cover may not have an inclined portion, but a gap may be provided between the outer peripheral edge of the inner cover and the outer peripheral edge of the outer cover at the end in the first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, such as the front-rear direction, allowing communication between the inside and outside of the outer cover. In this case, the liquid discharge effect is inferior to that of the configurations shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, but the liquid that has splashed onto the upper surface of the inner cover can still be discharged to the outside.

[0065] Second Embodiment Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 of a second embodiment. In a wiring accessory 210 of this example, the entire receptacle connector 52a is disposed above the inner cover 30. A cylindrical connecting member 55 is coupled to the lower end of the receptacle connector 52a, and the lower end of the connecting member 55 is connected to the second board 50. The connecting member 55 has a plurality of wires therein that are connected to the plurality of contactors of the terminals 54, and the plurality of wires are connected to the circuit on the second board 50. The connecting member 55 passes through the circular inner hole 38 of the inner cover 30a with almost no gap. An outer cover 60 is attached above the inner cover 30.

[0066] The upper surface of the inner cover 30 has two inclined portions 39 on both the left and right sides, forming a generally triangular mountain shape in front view. A sealing means 80 is provided around the entire periphery of the upper surface of the inner cover 30 between the portion surrounding the inner hole 38 and the lower surface of the receptacle connector 52a. The sealing means 80 is a ring-shaped elastic sealing member made of, for example, rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer, such as a rubber O-ring or packing. The sealing means 80 is used by being compressed between the portion of the upper surface of the inner cover 30 surrounding the inner hole 38 and the lower surface of the receptacle connector 52a. The sealing means 80 may also be a packing shaped to correspond to the shape of the annular gap between the lower surface of the receptacle connector 52a and the upper surface of the inner cover 30 in the installed position.

[0067] Like the configurations of the above examples, the configuration of this example also prevents water from entering the positions of the electronic components on each board 40, 50 through the gap between the inner cover 30 and the receptacle connector 52a. Other configurations and functions of this example are the same as those of the configurations of Figures 1 to 6. Note that in the configuration of this example, instead of the sealing means 80, a hardened resin sealant similar to that of the configurations of Figures 1 to 6 can be filled around the entire periphery between the portion of the upper surface of the inner cover 30a surrounding the inner hole 38 and the lower surface of the receptacle connector 52a.

[0068] [Third Embodiment] Fig. 8 is a diagram corresponding to Fig. 6 of a third embodiment. In the wiring device 220 of this example, a resin plate-shaped partition 82 is provided inside the housing body 20 above the first board 40 in the configuration shown in Fig. 6 . A sealing member 84, such as an annular packing, is provided in an elastically compressed state between the outer peripheral surface of the partition 82 and the inner peripheral surface of the housing body 20. Thus, inside the housing 10, the space in which the first board 40 is disposed and the space in which the second board 50 is disposed are separated by the partition 82 and the sealing member 84. Wiring (not shown) connecting the first board 40 and the second board 50 can be passed through a vertical hole formed in the partition 82 or through a vertical gap between the partition 82 and the sealing member 84.

[0069] According to the configuration of this example, even if liquid infiltrates inside the inner cover 30 from above, the wiring device 220 is less likely to be damaged. Specifically, the first board 40, which includes a circuit on the primary side of the transformer 43, is disposed below the partition 82. Therefore, since a high voltage, such as 100 V, from a commercial power source is input to the first board 40, if liquid infiltrates the position of the first board 40, there is a high possibility that the electronic components included in the first board 40 will be dangerously damaged. In this embodiment, even if liquid infiltrates inside the inner cover 30 from above, the liquid can be prevented from infiltrating the position of the first board 40, thereby improving the safety of the wiring device 220.

[0070] Meanwhile, a low voltage stepped down by the transformer 43 is input to the secondary circuit located above the partition 82. Therefore, even if liquid should enter the secondary circuit, the possibility of dangerous damage is low, and since liquid can be prevented from entering the primary circuit, dangerous damage to the wiring device 220 can be more reliably prevented. In this example, the other configurations and functions are the same as those of Figures 1 to 6. Note that, although the partition 82 is located inside the housing main body 20 in the configuration of this example, it may also be located inside the inner cover 30.

[0071] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of portion D in Figure 6 according to a fourth embodiment. In the wiring device 230 of this example, the second board is divided into multiple second boards 50a, 50b in the configuration shown in Figures 1 to 6. The multiple second boards 50a, 50b are electrically connected to each other. For example, the multiple second boards 50a, 50b include an outer second board 50a arranged to surround the receptacle connector 52 under the inner cover 30 and a second board 50b arranged at a central position in the X direction. The upper surface of the central second board 50b is at a first height position T1, and the upper surface of the outer second board 50a is at a second height position T2, which is higher than the first height position T1. 8, a plate-shaped partition 83 is provided inside the housing, separating the space in which the first substrate 40 (see FIG. 5, etc.) is disposed from the space in which the second substrates 50 a, 50 b are disposed at a vertically intermediate position. The partition 83 is disposed near the plurality of second substrates 50 a, 50 b.

[0072] A protrusion 83a is formed on the upper surface of the partition 83, protruding above the position of the central second substrate 50b. A receptacle connector 52b is connected to the central second substrate 50b. Meanwhile, the outer second substrate 50a is positioned laterally away from the receptacle connector 52b. Electronic components such as an electrolytic capacitor 90, a semiconductor element 91, and a control IC 92, which are more likely to be damaged by water than the connection portion to the receptacle connector 52, are mounted on this second substrate 50a. The electrolytic capacitor 90 is mounted on the upper surface of the second substrate 50a, and the semiconductor element 91 and control IC 92 are mounted on the lower surface of the second substrate 50a. Some electronic components, such as the semiconductor element 91, contact the upper surface 83b of the protrusion 83a. Another electronic component, such as a control IC 92, may be mounted instead of the semiconductor element 91.

[0073] This wiring device 230 includes a second substrate 50b to which a receptacle connector 52b is connected, the upper surface of which is at a first height position T1, and a second substrate 50a having electronic components, the upper surface of which is at a second height position T2 higher than the first height position T1, and which is laterally spaced apart from the receptacle connector 52b. Even if water leaks downward between the inner cover 30 and the receptacle connector 52b due to damage to the sealing means 66 or other reasons, the water will flow downward along the outer circumferential surface of the receptacle connector 52b and likely reach the upper surface of the second substrate 50b. Furthermore, because the water tends to flow to a position lower than the upper surface, it is unlikely to reach the upper surface of the second substrate 50a. This reduces the likelihood of water intrusion into the electronic components arranged on the second substrate 50a, particularly those arranged on the upper surface of the second substrate 50a.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9 , even if electronic components such as semiconductor elements 91 and control ICs 92 are arranged on the underside of the second substrate 50a, the electronic components are located away from the upper surface of the second substrate 50b, and the upper surface 83b of the protrusion 83a, with which the lower surface of the electronic components contacts, is separated from the upper surface of the second substrate 50b by a downwardly recessed groove 88 formed between the protrusion 83a and the second substrate 50a. This makes it difficult for water to penetrate the electronic components arranged on the underside of the second substrate 50a. This improves the safety of components that are likely to fail due to water penetration. In this example, the other configurations and functions are the same as those of FIGS. 1 to 6 .

[0075] The above-described embodiments may be modified as appropriate without impairing the purpose of the present disclosure. The wiring device for supplying DC power according to the present disclosure may be configured by selectively combining the components of multiple embodiments and modifications. For example, while the above examples describe cases in which the board provided in the housing 10 is divided into multiple boards 40, 50, 50a, and 50b, the housing may be configured with only one board. For example, a single board may be provided with a circuit for converting AC power into DC current and a circuit for connecting a receptacle connector and outputting DC current to the receptacle connector.

[0076] The configurations of the present disclosure described above are as follows: (Configuration 1) A wiring device for supplying power comprising: a board; a receptacle connector connected to the upper side of the board and having a cylindrical guide portion and terminals inside the guide portion; and a housing accommodating the board and the receptacle connector, wherein the housing includes: a housing main body having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion; an inner cover attached to cover the upper end of the housing main body and having an inner hole penetrating in the vertical direction; and an outer cover attached to the upper side of the inner cover so as to cover the inner cover and having an insertion opening facing upward at its upper portion for inserting a plug connector, wherein a sealing means seals the gap between the inner hole of the inner cover or a portion surrounding the inner hole and the receptacle connector. (Configuration 2) The wiring device for supplying power according to Configuration 1, wherein a predetermined position within a range from the upper end to the lower end of the receptacle connector passes through the inner hole, and the sealing means seals the gap between the inner periphery of the inner hole and the outer periphery of the receptacle connector. (Configuration 3) The wiring device for supplying power according to Configuration 1 or 2, wherein the inner cover has, on its upper surface, at least an inclined portion that inclines downward toward an end in a first direction orthogonal to the up-down direction. (Configuration 4) The wiring device for supplying power according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, wherein a gap that allows communication between the inside and outside of the outer cover is provided between an outer peripheral edge of the inner cover and an outer peripheral edge of the outer cover. (Configuration 5) The wiring device for supplying power according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4, wherein the board is a second board having a secondary-side circuit on the power output side, and includes a first board connected to the secondary-side circuit, disposed below the second board, and having a primary-side circuit connected to a commercial power source, the first board including a transformer for stepping down a voltage of the secondary-side circuit below a voltage of the primary-side circuit, and a partition portion is provided inside the housing to separate a space in which the first board is disposed and a space in which the second board is disposed.(Configuration 6) The wiring device for supplying power according to any one of Configurations 1 to 5, wherein the board is a board to which the receptacle connector is connected and has an upper surface at a first height position, and the wiring device has an electronic component, an upper surface at a second height position higher than the first height position, and is disposed laterally spaced apart from the receptacle connector. (Configuration 7) The wiring device for supplying power according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, which supplies DC power. (Configuration 8) The wiring device for supplying power according to Configuration 7, which is a USB outlet device.

[0077] 1 Outlet, 2, 200, 210, 220, 230 Wiring device (wiring device) for supplying power, 2a, 3a Front, 2b, 3b Insertion port, 3 Power outlet device, 4 Decorative plate, 4a Opening, 10 Housing, 20 Housing body, 21 Peripheral wall portion, 22 Bottom, 30, 30a Inner cover, 31, 31a Inner hole, 32 Cylinder portion, 33 Upper end plate portion, 34 First inclined portion, 35 Second inclined portion, 36 Third inclined portion, 37 Side wall portion, 38 Inner hole, 40 First board, 41, 51 Printed circuit board, 42 Semiconductor element, 43 Transformer, 44 Common mode coil, 45, 53 Electrolytic capacitor, 50 Second board, 51 Printed circuit board, 52, 52a Receptacle connector, 53 Guide portion, 55 Connecting member, 60 Outer cover, 61 Upper end wall portion, 62 step portion, 63 wall portion, 64 groove portion, 65 gap, 66 sealing means, 70, 71, 72, 73 internal space, 80 sealing member, 82, 83 partition portion, 84 sealing member, 88 groove portion, 90 electrolytic capacitor, 100 top plate, 101 electronic device, 102 plug connector, 103 cable, 104 commercial power supply, 105 power line.

Claims

1. A wiring device for supplying electric power comprising: a board; a receptacle connector connected to the upper side of the board, the receptacle connector having a cylindrical guide portion and a terminal inside the guide portion; and a housing accommodating the board and the receptacle connector, the housing including: a housing main body having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion; an inner cover attached to cover the upper end of the housing main body and having an inner hole passing through in the vertical direction; and an outer cover attached to the upper side of the inner cover so as to cover the inner cover, the outer cover having an insertion opening opening facing upward at its upper portion for inserting a plug connector, the space between the inner hole of the inner cover or a portion surrounding the inner hole and the receptacle connector being sealed with a sealing means.

2. The wiring device for supplying electric power according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined position within a range from the upper end to the lower end of the receptacle connector passes through the inner hole, and the gap between the inner periphery of the inner hole and the outer periphery of the receptacle connector is sealed with the sealing means.

3. The wiring device for supplying power according to claim 1, wherein the inner cover has, on its upper surface, at least an inclined portion that is inclined downward toward an end in a first direction perpendicular to the up-down direction.

4. The wiring device for supplying electric power according to claim 1, wherein a gap is provided between the outer peripheral edge of the inner cover and the outer peripheral edge of the outer cover to allow communication between the inside and outside of the outer cover.

5. A wiring device for supplying power as described in claim 1, wherein the board is a second board having a secondary circuit on the power output side, and a first board is connected to the secondary circuit, located below the second board, and having a primary circuit connected to a commercial power source, the first board includes a transformer for stepping down the voltage of the secondary circuit below the voltage of the primary circuit, and a partition section is provided inside the housing to separate the space in which the first board is located from the space in which the second board is located.

6. The wiring device for supplying power according to claim 1, wherein the board is a board to which the receptacle connector is connected and has an upper surface at a first height position, and the wiring device further comprises a board having electronic components, an upper surface at a second height position higher than the first height position, and disposed laterally away from the receptacle connector.

7. The wiring device for supplying power according to claim 1, which supplies DC power.

8. The wiring device for supplying power according to claim 7, which is a USB outlet device.

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