Power connector

• US 10,181,684 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation, Inventec Pudong Technology Corp (Inventec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation, Inventec Pudong Technology Corp (Inventec Corporation)
• Inventors: Hu, Hsiang-Chun, Lu, Chun-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US15/867,572
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 43962021
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors

Abstract

A power connector has a power input port, a power output port, a signal transmission port, a controller, and a bridging circuit. The power input port is configured to receive input power. The power output port is applicable for plugging into an external device so as to provide output power to the external device. The signal transmission port is applicable for plugging into the external device to receive an indication signal. The controller is electrically connected to the signal transmission port and configured to adjust a control signal based on the indication signal. The bridging circuit is respectively electrically connected to the power input port, the power output port, and the controller, and controlled by the control signal to selectively transfer part of the input power to the power output port as the output power.

Claims

1. A power connector, comprising:

a power input port configured to receive an input power;

a power output port applicable for plugging into an external device to provide an output power to the external device;

a signal transmission port applicable for plugging into the external device to receive an indication signal;

a controller electrically connected to the signal transmission port and configured to adjust a voltage of a control signal during a time period based on the indication signal; and

a bridging circuit respectively electrically connected to the power input port, the power output port and the controller;

wherein the bridging circuit is controlled by the control signal to selectively transfer part of the input power to the power output port as the output power.

2. The power connector in claim 1, further comprising a power converter respectively electrically connected to the controller and the bridging circuit, and configured to convert part of the input power into DC power to supply to the controller and the bridging circuit.

3. The power connector in claim 1, wherein the power input port comprises an input live wire, an input neutral wire, and an input grounding wire, and the power output port comprises an output live wire, an output neutral wire, and an output grounding wire, and the bridging circuit comprises:

a first relay respectively electrically connected to the input live wire and the output live wire, and controlled by the control signal to be selectively conducted.

4. The power connector in claim 3, wherein the bridging circuit further comprises a second relay respectively electrically connected to the input neutral wire and the output neutral wire, and controlled by the control signal to be selectively conducted.

5. The power connector in claim 1, wherein the power input port comprises an input live wire, an input neutral wire and an input grounding wire, and the power output port comprises an output live wire, an output neutral wire and an output grounding wire, and the bridging circuit comprises:

a first relay respectively electrically connected to the neutral wire and the output neutral wire, and controlled by the control signal to be selectively conducted.

6. The power connector in claim 1, wherein the power input port comprises a first input live wire, a second input live wire, a third input live wire and an input neutral wire, and the power output port comprises a first output live wire, a second output live wire, a third output live wire and an output neutral wire, and the bridging circuit comprises:

a first relay respectively electrically connected to the input neutral wire and the output neutral wire, and controlled by the control signal to be selectively conducted.

7. The power connector in claim 6, wherein the bridging circuit further comprises a second relay respectively electrically connected to the first input live wire and the first output live wire, and controlled by the control signal to be selectively conducted.

8. The power connector in claim 1, further comprising a power converter electrically connected to the controller and configured to convert part of the input power into DC power to supply to the controller, wherein the controller comprises:

a resistor respectively electrically connected to a high voltage terminal of the power converter and an enable terminal of the bridging circuit;

a capacitor respectively electrically connected to the enable terminal of the bridging circuit and a low voltage terminal of the power converter; and

a switch connected to the capacitor in parallel and controlled by the indication signal to be selectively conducted.

9. The power connector in claim 1, further comprises a power converter electrically connected to the controller, and configured to convert part of the input power into DC power to supply to the controller, wherein the controller comprises:

a finite state machine switched from a first state into a second state based on the indication signal, and the finite state machine adjusts the control signal to allow the bridging circuit to transfer the input power to the output port as the output power in the first state, and the finite state machine adjusts the control signal to prevent the bridging circuit from transferring the input power to the power output port as the output power;

a clock generator configured to operate with the DC power to generate a clock signal; and

a counter electrically connected to the finite state machine and the clock generator, configured to count based on the clock signal if the finite state machine is in the second state, and if a counted value reaches a threshold, the counter controls the finite state machine to switch to the first state and reset the counted value.