Common plug for AC/DC and common equipment for AC/DC

• US 9,954,329 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morita, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Matthew T
• Application Number:
  US15/329,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20170222380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 439170, 439171, 439172, 439173, 439174, 439640, 439956
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/08 Resiliently-mounted rigid pins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/28 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90
• 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: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4208 Arrangements for improving power factor of AC input
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/06 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/08 arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

[Object] To provide a common plug for AC/DC which can easily prevent erroneous insertion into a plug receptacle.

[Solution] Provided is a common plug for AC/DC including at least one pair of connection terminals. At least one connection terminal of the at least one pair of connection terminals is able to rotate around an axis of an insertion direction into a socket so as to have a first state in a case where the connection terminal is inserted into a socket for supplying AC power and a second state in a case where the connection terminal is inserted into a socket for supplying DC power, the second state being different from the first state.

Claims

1. A plug for AC/DC comprising:

at least one pair of connection terminals,

wherein at least one connection terminal of the at least one pair of connection terminals is configured to rotate around an insertion direction into a socket so as to have a first state in a case where the connection terminal is inserted into a socket for supplying AC power and a second state in a case where the connection terminal is inserted into a socket for supplying DC power, the second state being different from the first state.

2. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one pair of connection terminals changes an angle with respect to a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction into the plug receptacle between the first state and the second state.

3. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one pair of connection terminals is able to rotate within a restricted angular range.

4. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein the axis of the at least one connection terminal is provided on the connection terminal.

5. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein the axis of the at least one connection terminal is provided while being displaced from the connection terminal.

6. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1, comprising:

a signal output unit configured to output a switching signal when the at least one pair of connection terminals are put into the second state.

7. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein, when one connection terminal out of the at least one pair of connection terminals rotates, the other connection terminal is able to rotate in the same direction as the rotation direction of the one connection terminal.

8. The plug for AC/DC according to claim 1,

wherein, when one connection terminal out of the at least one pair of connection terminals rotates, the other connection terminal is able to rotate in an opposite direction from the rotation direction of the one connection terminal.

9. Equipment for AC/DC that operates with power received by the plug for AC/DC according to claim 1.

10. The equipment for AC/DC according to claim 9, comprising:

a signal output unit configured to output a switching signal when the at least one pair of connection terminals are put into the second state.

11. The equipment for AC/DC according to claim 10, further comprising:

a power conversion control unit configured to change conversion efficiency of power between a case where DC power is received and a case where AC power is received, according to presence or absence of the switching signal.

12. The equipment for AC/DC according to claim 9, further comprising:

a diode bridge configured to rectify AC,

wherein, when DC power is received, an anode of the diode bridge is electrically connected to a connection terminal which becomes a negative side out of the pair of connection terminals, and a cathode of the diode bridge is electrically connected to a connection terminal which becomes a positive side out of the pair of connection terminals.