Housing configuration for charger plug

Abstract

A reduced plug-size charger plug for power conversion is disclosed utilizing a pair of blades that are slidably mounted into a charger housing, obviating the need for insertion molding. To promote and maintain electrical contact while minimizing package size and charger plug cost, a pair of spring contacts are provided for electrically connecting the blades with internal circuitry.

1 . A charger plug for connecting with a power source to convert input current power received from the power source to DC output current power, the charger plug being electrically connectable to an electronic device for providing the output current power thereto, the charger plug including a housing orientatable toward the power source when connected thereto, the charger plug comprising:
 first and second separate blade members secured within the housing so as to have prong portions of the blade members mounted in order to extend in a first direction from a front wall of the housing, the prong portions adapted to be received in receptacle openings of the power source;   the charger plug including a DC connector having an aperture adapted to removably receive a corresponding power cord plug end for transmitting DC power to the electronic device;   the charger plug housing forming a) a charger plug face area defined by the front wall and b) an outer profile defined by a perimeter of the front wall and defined by a plug body extending rearward from the front wall;   the power source having at least a first and second receptacle each a) being compliant with NEMA 1 or NEMA 5 standards and b) having a receptacle face area as defined by NEMA 1 or NEMA 5 standards, the first receptacle adjacent to the second receptacle; and   the charger plug configured to be capable of plugging to a wall outlet and further;   i) being sized so that the charger plug face area is equal to or less than the receptacle face area of the receptacle of the wall outlet to which the charger plug is mounted,   ii) outer profile having no interference with an adjacent second receptacle of the power source located on any side of the first receptacle when the charger plug is mounted in all available orientations in either the first or second receptacles and   iii) having the DC connector oriented in order to provide a first removal force to remove the power cord plug end from the DC connector that is less than a second removal force to remove the blade members from the receptacle openings of the power source,   so that in a condition where space may be limited by an obstacle adjacent the power source the charger plug may be conveniently mounted to the first or second receptacle, the power cord plug end may be conveniently received by the DC connector and the power cord plug end can be conveniently removed from the DC connector while leaving the charger plug connected to the receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The charger plug of  claim 1  wherein the charger plug face area defines a footprint that is not the same shape as the receptacle face area. 
     
     
         3 . The charger plug of  claim 1  wherein the power source comprises a duplex receptacle having two groups of receptacle openings either disposed in a single continuous plate comprising the first and second receptacles or in separate outlets comprising the first and second receptacles. 
     
     
         4 . The charger plug of  claim 1  wherein the power source includes three receptacle openings disposed in each of the first and second receptacles. 
     
     
         5 . The charger plug of  claim 1 , further comprising a supporting substrate on which internal circuitry for converting power is mounted, the supporting substrate being a board extending in a lateral direction relative to the prong portions and the DC connector is mounted on the board. 
     
     
         6 . The charger plug of  claim 1 , wherein the housing forms an outer profile and a length of the housing outer profile being less than 2.0 inches and a width of the housing outer profile being less than 1.7 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The charger plug of  claim 1 , wherein the DC connector is adapted for receiving the corresponding power cord plug end in order that the power cord plug end has an extent of advancement that is less than an extent of advancement of the charger plug and the aperture of the DC connector for receiving the power cord plug end has an insertion depth that is less than an insertion depth of the receptacle of the power source, the insertion depth of the receptacle being defined by the blade members of the charger plug being measured between an exit point where the blade member exits the housing and a terminal point on the blade member furthest from the exit point, so that the power cord plug end can be conveniently removed in a small space leaving the charger plug connected to the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The charger plug of  claim 1  wherein the charger plug includes a rear end on a side opposite the front % van and the DC connector is positioned on the housing in order that a first direction of insertion of the DC connector aperture is substantially perpendicular with the first direction of the blade members of the charger plug so that in a condition where space may be limited by an obstacle adjacent the rear end of the charger plug the positioning of the DC connector provides a shorter or more convenient travel path for inserting and removing the power cord plug end. 
     
     
         9 . The charger plug of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a power strip having multiple receptacles aligned side by side along the power strip. 
     
     
         10 . The charger plug of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises a wall outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A charger plug for connecting with a power source to convert input current power received from the power source to DC output current power, the charger plug being electrically connectable to an electronic device for providing the output current power thereto, the charger plug including a housing orientatable toward the power source when connected thereto, the charger plug comprising:
 first and second separate blade members secured within the housing so as to have prong portions of the blade members mounted in order to extend in a first direction from a front wall of the housing, the prong portions adapted to be received in receptacle openings of the power source along a first longitudinal insertion axis and the charger plug having an extent of advancement in order to mount the charger plug to the receptacle;   the charger plug including a DC connector having an aperture adapted to removably receive a corresponding power cord plug end for transmitting DC power to the electronic device, the power cord plug end insertable within the aperture along a second longitudinal insertion axis and the power cord plug end having an extent of advancement for mounting the power cord plug end to the DC connector of the charger plug;   the charger plug, housing forming a) a charger plug face area defined by the front wall and b) an outer profile defined by a perimeter of the front wall and defined by a plug body extending rearward from the front wall;   the power source having at least a first and second receptacle each a) being compliant with NEMA 1 or NEMA 5 standards and h) having a receptacle face area as defined by NEMA 1 or NEMA 5 standards, the first receptacle adjacent to the second receptacle; and   the charger plug configured to be capable of plugging to a wall outlet and further;   i) being sized so that the charger plug lace area is equal to or less than the receptacle face area of the receptacle of the wall outlet to which the charger plug is mounted,   ii) outer profile having no interference with an adjacent second receptacle of the power source located on any side of the first receptacle when the charger plug is mounted in all available orientations in either the first or second receptacles and   iii) the DC connector adapted for receiving the corresponding power cord plug end in order that the power cord plug end extent of advancement is less than the charger plug extent of advancement;   so that in a condition where space may be limited by an obstacle adjacent the power source the charger plug may be conveniently mounted to the first or second receptacle, the power cord plug end may be conveniently received by the DC connector and the power cord plug end can be conveniently removed from the DC connector while leaving the charger plug connected to the receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . The charger plug of  claim 11  wherein the charger plug includes a rear end on a side opposite the from wall and the DC connector is positioned on the housing in order that a first direction of insertion of the DC connector aperture is substantially perpendicular with the first direction of the blade members of the charger plug so that in a condition where space may be limited by an obstacle adjacent the rear end of the charger plug the positioning of the DC connector provides a shorter or more convenient travel path for inserting and removing the power cord plug end. 
     
     
         13 . The charger plug of  claim 11 , wherein the power cord plug end extent of advancement comprises advancement/removal and maneuverability characteristics and is affected by the aperture size and provides for easier removal of the power cord plug end from the DC connector in comparison to the removal force to remove the blade members from the receptacle openings of the power source so that the plug may remain mounted in the receptacle when no input current power is needed for the electronic device. 
     
     
         14 . The charger plug of  claim 11 , wherein the power cord plug end extent of advancement comprises advancement/removal and maneuverability characteristics and is affected by the positioning of the DC connector on the housing in order to provide for easier removal of the power cord plug end from the DC connector in regard to the mounting of the plug in the receptacle of the power source so that the plug may remain mounted in the receptacle when no input current power is needed for the electronic device. 
     
     
         15 . The charger plug of  claim 11 , wherein the power cord plug end is advanced and removed in a first direction of advancement from the DC connector of the charger plug when mounted to the power source in a condition where the power source may be located adjacent to an obstacle so that a small space is provided for advancement and removal of the power cord plug end. 
     
     
         16 . The charger plug of  claim 15 , wherein when the first longitudinal insertion axis of the power source is parallel to the first direction of advancement the DC connector is positioned on the housing so that the second longitudinal insertion axis of the DC connector aperture is substantially in-line with the first direction of the blade members of the plug in order to provide a lower power cord plug end extent of advancement. 
     
     
         17 . The charger plug of  claim 15 , wherein when the first longitudinal insertion axis of the power source is lateral to the first direction of advancement, the DC connector is positioned on the housing so that the second longitudinal insertion axis of the DC connector aperture is substantially perpendicular to the first direction of the blade members of the plug, in order to provide a lower power cord plug end extent of advancement. 
     
     
         18 . The charger plug of  claim 15 , wherein the second longitudinal insertion axis of the DC connector aperture is substantially in-line with the first direction. 
     
     
         19 . A charger plug for connecting with a power source to convert input current power received from the power source to DC output current power, the charger plug being electrically connectable to an electronic device for providing the output current power thereto, the charger plug including a housing orientatable toward the power source when connected thereto, the charger plug comprising:
 first and second separate blade members secured within the housing so as to have prong portions of the blade members mounted in order to extend in a lint direction from a front wall of the housing, the prong portions adapted to be received in receptacle openings of the power source;   the charger plug including a DC connector having an aperture adapted to removably receive a corresponding power cord plug end for transmitting DC power to the electronic device;   the charger plug housing forming an outer profile defined by a perimeter of the front wall and defined by a plug body extending rearward from the front wall, the power source having at least a first and second receptacle each having a periphery that generally circumscribes, at least partially, each group of receptacle openings as defined by NEMA 1 or NEMA 5 standards, the first receptacle adjacent to the second receptacle; and   the charger plug   i) being sized so that the perimeter is generally coterminous with the periphery of the receptacle to which the charger plug is mounted,   ii) outer profile having no interference with an adjacent second receptacle of the power source located on any side of the first receptacle when the charger plug is mounted in all available orientations in either the first or second receptacles and   iii) having the DC connector oriented in order to provide a first removal force to remove the power cord plug end from the DC connector that is less than a second removal force to remove the blade members from the receptacle openings of the power source,   so that in a condition where space may be limited by an obstacle adjacent the power source the charger plug may be conveniently mounted to the first or second receptacle, the power cord plug end may be conveniently received by the DC connector and the power cord plug end can be conveniently removed while leaving the charger plug connected to the receptacle.   
     
     
         20 . The charger plug of  claim 19  wherein the perimeter of the charger plug defines generally one of a polygonal, squared-off circle, ovoid or circular shape and the periphery of the receptacle defines generally one of a polygonal, squared-off circle, ovoid or circular shape.