Pivotable Power Plug With Integrated Shaft Holders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pivotable and receivable power plugs are complex and costly due to the need for multiple parts, including conducting elements, pivot shafts, and positioning pieces, which complicate manufacturing and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
A simplified power plug design featuring a housing with resilient conducting strips and a grounding strip, along with metal pivot shafts and a ground plate, eliminates the need for additional pivot shafts and positioning parts by using bent conducting strip ends as shaft holders and integrating engagement mechanisms directly into the conducting strip and ground plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional pivotable and receivable power plugs are designed with multiple parts including conducting elements, pivot shafts, and positioning pieces, then the plug can achieve pivotable and receivable functionality, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the housing structure itself. The housing integrates the pivot shaft mechanism, positioning features, and conducting element support into a unified structure, eliminating the need for separate pivot shafts and positioning pieces. This merging of functions reduces part count while maintaining pivotable and receivable functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed to serve multiple purposes simultaneously: it provides structural support, acts as a pivot axis, incorporates positioning features, and supports conducting elements. This multi-functionality approach allows a single component to replace multiple separate parts, simplifying the overall structure.
2Reliability
If conventional power plugs use multiple separate parts including pivot shafts and positioning pieces, then the plug can achieve proper positioning and pivoting, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning features are integrated directly into the housing structure rather than being separate components. The housing includes built-in positioning elements that guide and secure the conducting elements during pivoting, ensuring accurate positioning without requiring additional positioning pieces, thereby reducing manufacturing cost.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the power plug is designed to be pivotable and receivable, then the plug can be hidden for storage, but the structure requires multiple additional parts
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot mechanism and receiving structure are merged into the housing itself. The housing provides the pivot axis and the receiving cavity as integrated features, allowing the conducting elements to pivot into a hidden position without requiring separate pivot shafts, bearings, or positioning pieces, thus reducing the overall part count.
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
This design allows for a pivotable and receivable plug with a reduced part count, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs while maintaining functionality, allowing the plug to be easily pivoted for use and hidden for storage.
Implementation Method 1
Each conducting strip is resilient and has a shaft holder formed by bending a free end of the conducting strip
Data Source
AI summary
A power converter having a pivotable and receivable power plug has a housing, an adapter board, a power output unit and a plug. The adapter board and the power output unit are mounted inside the housing. The adapter board has two conducting strips and a grounding strip. Each conducting strip has a shaft holder formed by bending a free end of the conducting strip, and two metal pivot shafts formed on two opposite sides of the plug are pivotally and respectively mounted in the shaft holders. The plug has a ground plate having a first engagement portion formed thereon. The grounding strip has a second engagement portion formed therein in a pivoting path of the plug to engage the first engagement portion and position the plug when the plug is pivoted and protrudes beyond the housing. Accordingly, the power converter can have a pivotable and receivable plug with minimum parts.