Travel Adapter Sliding Plug Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing travel plug adapters are not user-friendly, often requiring complex operations and taking up space, making them inconvenient for one-handed use and compact design, while also being costly and difficult to manufacture reliably.
Innovation Solution
A travel plug adapter with a detachable housing and actuating slides that allow for easy selection and use of multiple plug standards, featuring a locking mechanism that prevents accidental activation of multiple plugs, ensuring only one plug is used at a time, and a compact design with sliding slots for smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple plug sets are provided in an outer housing with control panels and locking plates, then multiple plug standards can be accommodated, but the controls take up a lot of space on the connector surface and require complex two-handed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple plug sets (first and second plug sets) into a single integrated adapter body, eliminating the need for separate control panels and locking plates for each plug. The actuating element controls both plug sets through a unified mechanism, reducing the number of separate controls and enabling one-handed operation while maintaining compatibility with multiple plug standards.
2Reliability
If a locking plate with connecting links and spring-loaded controls is used, then plug pin sets can be held firmly in end positions, but the selector lever must be operated simultaneously with moving the pin sets, preventing convenient one-handed operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex selector lever and separate locking plate mechanism from the design. Instead, it uses a simplified actuating element that directly controls the movement of both plug sets through integrated guiding slots in the adapter body, maintaining reliable positioning without requiring simultaneous operation of multiple controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating element serves multiple functions: it moves the first plug set, moves the second plug set, and provides guiding and positioning for both through the integrated slots. This single multi-functional element replaces the previous separate controls and locking mechanisms, simplifying the overall device while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If controls are provided for moving pin sets between end positions, then plug selection is possible, but the controls take up space and complicate the design, making compact design difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control functions for both plug sets into a single actuating element with integrated guiding slots. This unified control structure eliminates the need for separate controls and reduces the overall complexity of the device, enabling compact design while maintaining the ability to select between different plug standards.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a travel plug adapter, which is also referred to here in short as an adapter. With the aid of such an adapter, mains plugs of a defined (domestic) standard can be plugged into the sockets that are present at the travel destination. In particular, the invention relates to a travel plug adapter (10), which has a housing, a plug holder (16), and at least one first plug (38, 84) of a first standard and a second plug (28, 86) of a second standard, wherein each plug is assigned an actuating slider (22, 24), which is led to the outside through a sliding slot (42) in the housing and is designed to displace the plug between a readiness position, in which the plug is located substantially within the housing, and between a use position located outside the housing, in which the plug can be used, and wherein the first plug (38, 84) is assigned a first blocking element (106A), such that displacing the first plug (38, 84) between the readiness position and the use position is blocked when the movement of the first blocking element (106A) is blocked, and wherein the second plug (28, 86) is assigned a second blocking element (106B), such that the displacement of the second plug (28, 86) between the readiness position and the use position is blocked when the movement of the second blocking element (106B) is blocked, characterized in that in addition at least one blocking carriage (100A) is provided which, in a first position, opens the path of the first blocking element (106A) and, in a second position, blocks the path of the first blocking element (106A, wherein the second blocking element (106) acts on the position of the blocking carriage (100A).