Flush-Mounted Socket With Spring Pin Contact and USB Charging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flush-mounted sockets do not provide a convenient and safe method for charging mobile audio or communication devices like mobile phones and MP3 players, as they lack a dedicated USB connection and proper integration with the 230V AC voltage network.
Innovation Solution
A flush-mounted socket design featuring a central disc with a socket pot and a USB connection, integrated power supply, and a spring pin contact device that allows for electrical connection to both USB devices and the 230V AC voltage network, ensuring safe and efficient charging while accommodating potential 'wallpaper compensation' through spring deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a USB connection and power supply are integrated into a flush-mounted socket, then mobile devices can be charged directly at the socket, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the USB charging function and the 230V power supply function into a single flush-mounted socket unit. The power supply unit is integrated into the socket base, and the USB connection is integrated into the central disc, creating a unified device that performs both functions without requiring separate charging devices or power adapters.
Solution Approach 2:
The flush-mounted socket is designed to serve multiple functions: it can accept both standard 230V plugs for high-power devices and USB connections for mobile devices. The spring pin contact device enables the socket to universally accommodate different plug types and charging requirements, making it a multi-functional electrical interface.
2Reliability
If spring pins are used for electrical contact, then wallpaper compensation and connection reliability are improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring pins are designed to be elastic and movable, allowing them to deflect and compensate for variations in the distance between the central disc and socket base caused by wallpaper installation. This dynamic capability enables the spring pins to maintain reliable electrical contact despite dimensional variations in the installation environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring pins utilize elastic deformation to change their physical state and accommodate dimensional variations. The spring deflection allows the contact pins to adjust their position and maintain consistent electrical contact pressure, compensating for the 2mm or more variations caused by wallpaper compensation without requiring high manufacturing precision.
3Area of stationary object
If the USB connection is integrated into the central disc, then space is optimized, but the electrical insulation requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating housing is introduced as an intermediary component between the USB connection and the socket base. This housing made of insulating material provides the necessary electrical isolation, preventing harmful electrical interactions between the low-voltage USB circuitry and the high-voltage power supply while allowing the USB connection to be integrated into the central disc.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables direct charging of USB devices with a micro-USB or USB-A port, while maintaining electrical safety and compatibility with standard 230V Schuko plugs, optimizing space usage and simplifying manufacturing and assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The spring pins can execute such a large stroke that, on the one hand, tolerances of the structural components of the flush-mounted socket are compensated and, on the other hand, an offset of the central disc of the flush-mounted socket to the socket base is compensated
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~8
AI summary
The receptacle has a micro USB terminal (9) provided with an insulating housing (10) that is secured at a back part of a central disk. A USB circuit board (11) is integrated in an electrical terminal of the USB terminal. A socket base is equipped with a power supply that is attached with electrical/electronic components. A spring pin contact device (29) is arranged in the socket base. The insulating housing is formed into a contact space that is formed in a base housing of the socket base.