Rotatable Power Converter Plug Positioning Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power converters with rotatable plugs often experience poor contact between the plug leads and conductive pins due to inaccurate positioning, posing a risk of electrical disconnection.

Innovation Solution

A power converter design featuring a housing with conductive pins, a flexible arm with a protrudent plate and positioning block, and a plug with a disk and leads, where the flexible arm ensures precise alignment and disconnection of the conductive pins, allowing for reliable electrical contact through a combination of sliding and rotational mechanisms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the plug is fastened to the converter body by sliding or rotation in conventional designs, then the plug can be changed depending on practical requirements, but the leads of the plug tend to make poor contact with the conductive pins due to inaccurate positioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplug changeabilityVSAvoidcontact reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning block is pre-configured in the housing to define the correct rotational position of the plug. When the plug is inserted and rotated, the positioning block guides it into the precise position where the leads align with the conductive pins, ensuring reliable contact before the connection is finalized.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning block acts as an intermediary element between the plug and the conductive pins. It mediates the positioning process by providing physical guidance and constraints that ensure the plug reaches the correct orientation, thereby guaranteeing accurate alignment and reliable electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the flexible arm with protrudent plate is used to press the conductive pins for disconnection, then the plug can be safely disconnected, but the structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisconnection safetyVSAvoidconverter structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible arm is designed to be deformable, allowing it to be pressed inward to release the conductive pins for disconnection. This dynamic feature enables the arm to transition between a clamping state (holding the pins) and a released state (allowing disconnection), providing safe operation without requiring additional complex mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible arm utilizes a flexible structure that can be deformed by user pressure. This flexibility allows the arm to temporarily release its grip on the conductive pins when pressed, enabling safe disconnection of the plug, and then automatically return to its clamping position to maintain secure connections during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS8105100B1Power converter with rotatable plug

Publication Date: 2012.01.31 CHICONY POWER TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The power converter of the invention includes a housing, two conductive pins, a flexible arm and a plug. The housing has a recess. The conductive pins protrude from the recess. The flexible arm is formed with a protrudent plate and a positioning block, which protrude from the recess. The protrudent plate is located beside the conductive pins. The plug includes a disk and two leads. The protrudent plate presses either of the conductive pins when the flexible arm is depressed so that the conductive pins move away from the leads to form a disconnection. The conductive pins connect to the leads when the disk is positioned by the positioning block.