GB2352567A

GB2352567A - Power lead adapter

Info

Publication number: GB2352567A
Application number: GB9917599A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Beesley; Jeremy David Osborne Ranger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-07-28
Filing date: 1999-07-28
Publication date: 2001-01-31
Also published as: GB9917599D0

Abstract

An adapter 1 has a female connector part 3 and a male connector part 2 which are incompatible with each other. The different connector parts 2,3 may be of any type, for example: IEC C14, IEC C5, IEC C7, or screw- or bayonet-type lamp connections. There may be two female connectors 3a,3b. Preferably the body is constructed of mouldable plastics which may be fire retardant. The adapter 1 may be part of a kit including a surge protector.

Description

2352567 CABLE CONNECTOR This invention relates to electrical connectors

for connecting power supply cables to portable electronic systems such as laptop or palmtop computers, mobile phones, etc.

Many executive travellers today carry portable electronic equipment, for example, a laptop computer, palmtop computer or a mobile phone.

Such electronic equipment is designed to operate for a limited period on battery power, the battery power being rechargeable on connection to a mains supply.

Typically, a traveller will use his electronic equipment in transit, depleting the power supply provided by the battery. On arrival at his destination the traveller recharges the battery of the portable equipment by connecting to the mains through a cable, usually provided with the portable equipment, which is adapted at one end to fit with the input to the portable equipment power supply and at the other to the mains supply at his destination.

Particularly when travelling abr oad, the traveller may have alternative cables adapted to fit various national power supply plug sockets, each of the cables being adapted to connect with the power supply of the portable equipment. Alternatively, the traveller may have one cable adapted for his national power supply and one or more plug socket adaptors which may be fitted between the mains power plug of the cable and the plug socket of the alternative national power supply.

Thus, in order to be able to recharge his portable equipment when 2 away from the office, the executive traveller must always carry one or more connector cables and/or travel plug adaptors.

Whilst it is possible to provide plug adaptors and cable connectors connecting the portable equipment to the mains power supplies in the majority of the countries of the world, the executive traveller can be left in difficulty if he arrives in a country without the appropriate adaptor or connector.

Even when travelling domestically, the traveller is left in difficulty if he has not brought with him the appropriate mains connector cable. In these situations, often the only option for the traveller is to find a colleague from whom he can borrow a cable and/or adaptor, or a local supplier of his own particular type of portable equipment who may be able to provide a suitable connector or adaptor.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cable connector device comprising a single piece module having a connector for connection to a male electrical connector and a connector for connection to a female electrical connector, the male and female connectors being incompatible with each other.

Such a connector, when provided with a female connector suitable for connecting with the male connector at the power input point to a user's portable electronic equipment, enables the user to use an alternative mains connector cable to that specifically adapted for the user's equipment.

For example, where the male electrical connector is suitable for connection to an IEC C14 type connector as is commonly found on detachable electric kettle cords, the executive traveller who finds himself with a low battery in a hotel room without his specifically adapted power input cable for his portable electronic equipment, may conveniently connect 3 his equipment via a connector according to the present invention to the local mains supply, through the detachable power cord of the kettle.

Whilst it is not essential that the male connector portion of the connector device is connectable with a C 14 type female connector, such connectors are extremely common in most countries of the world, thus a C14 type male connector on the connector device provides a very simple and convenient means for connecting directly with the local power supply.

Another convenient form of male connector is one suitable for connecting with a light socket. Optionally this may be a socket of the bayonet type or screw type, providing the traveller with the opportunity to use the lamp socket in his hotel room or foreign office.

Other possibilities for the male connector might include one compatible with the lead of a travel shaver or of a car mobile telephone charger.

Preferably, the male and female connectors of the connector device will be arranged at 180' to each other, to provide a very portable and slimline embodiment of the invention. Optionally, the pins of the male connectorwill be countersunk in a hollow portion of the housing of the device, this helps prevent the pins becoming caught or damaged during transit of the device.

Where the traveller employs 2 or more pieces of portable electronic equipment, a connector device according to the invention may be provided with two female connectors for connecting with two alternative pieces of equipment. Equally, a connector device may be provided with two male connectors for connecting, say, to either a light bulb socket or a kettle lead.

Conveniently, a connector according to the present invention may be 4 provided as part of a kit, the kit comprising a cable for connecting a portable electronic device to a mains plug, one or more mains plugs, and a connector device according to the present invention. Optionally, the kit may also comprise a surge protector. Where more than one mains plug is provided, the plugs may each be suitable -for connection to a different national or regional mains power supply. Such a kit provides the traveller with the ability to connect his portable electronic system to the mains in any destination at which he may find himself.

Conveniently, the connector device may be produced as a moulding from a plastics material, most preferably a flame retardant plastics material.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompany drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows two perspective views of a device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a device according to the invention with a portable computer to be connected to a mains supply using the device.

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1, a device according to the invention comprises a housing (1) having two ends, a first end (2) comprising a'nale IEC connector similar to a C 14 type connector. At the other end (3) the device is provided with female IEC connector similar to a C7 type connector commonly found on laptop computer.

In Figure 2, the device (1) is arranged to connect with a laptop computer (4) having a male IEC connector (5) at its power input, the connector (5) being complementary to the female connector (3) provided on the connector device. The male connector (2) of the device (1) is arranged to connect with a complementary female connector (6) of a mains supply cable (7) fitted with a plug (8) for connecting to the domestic mains supply through a socket (9).

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the device having a female connector (3) similar to the C5 type connector commonly seen on laptop computers.

In Figure 4, a device according to the invention comprises a housing (1) having two ends. At the first end (2) is a male connector of the C14 type. The second end (3) is divided into 2 female connector portions (3a, 3b) each suited to connect with a different male connector on the power input of a portable electronic device. In this case one lead (3a) is of the C5 type, the other (3b) is of the C7 type.

Figure 5 shows an arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 4 where the C 14 male connector is replaced with an E27, or lamp screw type connector (2).

Figure 6 shows another variation on the embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this case the male connector (2) is suitable for fitting in a bayonet lamp fitting.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of connector devices in accordance with this invention and that various modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of this invention as set out in the appended claims.

6

Claims

1 A cable connector device comprising a single piece module having a connector for connection to a male electrical connector and a connector for connection to a female electrical connector, the male and female electrical connectors being incompatible with each other.

2. A cable connector device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the male electrical connector is of an IEC C 14 type connector.

3. A cable connector device as claime d in claim 1 wherein the male connector is suitable for connecting with a screw type lamp socket.

4. A cable connector device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the male connector is suitable for connecting with a bayonet type lamp socket.

5. A cable connector device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the female connector is connectable to an IEC C5 type connector of a portable computer.

6. A cable connector device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the female connector is connectable to an IEC C7 type connector of a portable computer.

7. A cable connector device as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a second electrical connector for connection to a male connector.

8. A cable connector device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pins of the male connector are recessed in a hollow in the body of the device.

9. A cable connector device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein 7 the body of the module is made from a mouldable plastics material..

10. A cable connector device as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the plastics material is fire retardant.

11. A cable connector device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the female connector is disposed at 180' from the male connector.

12. A travel kit for use with a portable computer system comprising a cable suitable for connecting the power input of the computer to a mains plug, one or more mains plugs for use with one or more mains power supplies, a surge protector, and a device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A cable connector dev'ice substantially as described herein with reference to the Figures.