Universal Plug Adapter With Retractable Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plug adapters with permanent pins are limited in functionality and application due to their inability to accommodate various plug jack types, such as flat, round, square, and oblique, leading to restricted use and inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
A universal plug adapter with multiple retractable pin plugs, featuring a slide block and orientation guide rods, allows for the adaptation to different plug jacks by enabling individual pin plug deployment, where the slide block's oblique surfaces and grooves restrict other pins from aligning until needed, ensuring only one pin is extended at a time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pin plugs are permanently fixed in the adapter, then the adapter can accommodate multiple plug types, but the structure becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter divides the pin plug assembly into multiple independent retractable pin plugs (first pin plug, second pin plug, third pin plug) that can be individually extended or retracted. Each pin plug is a separate component that can be independently controlled, allowing the adapter to accommodate different plug types by extending only the necessary pins rather than having all pins permanently fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin plugs are designed to be retractable rather than fixed, allowing them to move between extended and retracted positions. The guide rods enable dynamic adjustment of pin positions, transforming the static structure into a dynamic one that can adapt its configuration based on the required plug type, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Device complexity
If multiple pin plugs are made retractable, then the adapter structure is simplified, but it becomes difficult to control which pins are extended
Solution Approach 1:
Guide rods are introduced as intermediary components between the pin plugs and the adapter body. These guide rods provide orientation and control for the retractable pin plugs, ensuring they extend and retract in the correct directions. The guide rods act as mediators that simplify the control mechanism while maintaining precise control over pin extension, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational control.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the adapter accommodates various plug jack types, then versatility is improved, but the adapter design becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is designed with multiple retractable pin plugs that can be independently extended to create different pin configurations. This universal design allows a single adapter body to accommodate various plug jack types (flat, round, square, oblique) by extending the appropriate combination of pins, eliminating the need for multiple specialized adapters and simplifying the overall system design.
Data Source
AI summary
An universal plug adapter with multiple retractable pin plugs, comprising: a main body, at least a set of pin plug, an orientation guide rod allowing sliding of pin plug and a slide block restricting the shift of pin plug; the pin plug comprises of at least a pair of pins of international standard size, of which a single pin plug can be pushed every time; a sliding groove is set laterally onto the slide block; the groove is deep upwards and shallow downwards; the pin plug is provided with a bulge; when the pin plug is pushed, the bulge moves along the groove of the slide block groove; given the different depth of the groove, the bulge pushes the slide block to shift, such that the bulges on other pin plug cannot be aligned with the center of the groove, so other pin plugs not yet pushed are restricted in original position.