Foldable Electric Plug Gear Linkage for Compact Pin Stowage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric plugs are not designed for convenient storage, transportation, or travel due to their fixed, protruding pins that can snag or damage other items.
Innovation Solution
A foldable electric plug design with rotatable pins that can be stowed within the plug body, allowing for a compact configuration when not in use, featuring a mechanism of interlocking gears and springs to facilitate the folding and unfolding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electric plug uses fixed protruding pins for connection, then the electrical connection reliability is improved, but the storage and transportation convenience deteriorates due to increased dimensions and potential damage to other items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the pins movable rather than fixed. The pins can rotate between a protruding operational position for electrical connection and a retracted storage position. This dynamic configuration allows the plug to adapt between two states: extended for reliable connection and retracted for compact storage, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and storage convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the plug into movable pin components and a stationary body. The pins are separated as independent rotatable elements that can be positioned independently, allowing them to protrude when needed for connection and retract when needed for storage. This segmentation enables the plug to reduce its overall dimensions without compromising the integrity of the electrical connection mechanism.
2Reliability
If the electric plug uses fixed protruding pins, then the electrical contact stability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in storage and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic pin mechanism allows users to easily operate the plug by simply rotating it between extended and retracted positions. This dynamic design dramatically improves ease of operation for storage and handling, while the pin maintains stable electrical contact when in the extended position through proper mechanical engagement with the socket.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin incorporates a spring mechanism that provides automatic return to the retracted position after use. This self-service feature reduces the effort required by the user, as the spring automatically assists in returning the pin to its storage position, thereby improving ease of operation without compromising connection stability during use.
3Volume of moving object
If the electric plug uses rotatable pins with gears and springs, then the storage convenience is improved by reducing dimensions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the pin assembly: the pin itself serves as both the electrical conductor and the rotating element, while the gear and spring are integrated into the same component structure. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall mechanism, making the complexity acceptable while achieving the desired compact folded dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin is designed to nest within the plug body when retracted, with the gear and spring mechanisms contained within the pin's structural housing. This nesting arrangement minimizes the overall dimensions of the plug in its folded state, achieving compact storage while keeping the mechanism integrated and relatively simple rather than adding external components.
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
The foldable design reduces the plug's dimensions by up to 17-23 mm in the folded state, enhancing storage, shipping, and travel convenience while preventing pin damage to other items.
Implementation Method 1
a spring configured to exert a force on the pin to rotate the pin between the folded configuration and the unfolded configuration
Implementation Method 2
a gear configured to link rotation of the first pin in the first direction to rotation of the second pin in the second direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
An electric plug (100) including a first pin (110), a second pin (120), a third pin (130), a first follow gear (360), and a second follow gear (370). The first pin (110) and the second pin (120) can be rotatable in a first direction (401) between a first folded configuration and a first unfolded configuration. The third pin (130) can be rotatable in a second direction (402) between a second folded configuration and a second unfolded configuration. The second direction (402) can be opposite the first direction (401). The first and second follow gears (360, 370) can be configured to link rotation of the first and second pins (110, 120) in the first direction (401) to rotation of the third pin (130) in the second direction (402). Other embodiments are described.