TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a connection device which establishes an electrical connection
for charging or communication to an electrical apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] There have been proposed an connection device for charging or communication to an
electrical apparatus for example,
JP 4842398 B2, which establishes an electrical connection by a terminal of the electrical apparatus
being brought into contact with a conducting part of the connection device. In this
document, the terminal of the electrical apparatus projects from its surface as well
as, the conducting part of the connection device is biased by a spring and also projects
from its surface. When the electrical apparatus is pressed to the side of the connection
device, the terminal comes into contact with the conducting part and presses the conducting
part backward against the spring bias. Therefore, the electrical apparatus establishes
the electrical connection with a maintained contact pressure.
[0003] However, because the conducting part that is a metallic member is projected from
a surface of the connection device, there is a problem that, when the electrical apparatus
is attached to the connection device, the projected conducting part may damage part
of the electrical apparatus which is not the terminal.
[0004] There is a case where the electrical apparatus is an electric shaver, the connection
device is a cleaning device for clearing a shaving head of the electric shaver, the
shaving head of the electric shaver is to be inserted deep in a cleaning part of the
connection device, and the terminal and the conducting part are configured to be connected
to each other in the inserted state. In this case, parts of the electrical apparatus
which possibly touch the projected conducting part are especially increased, and accordingly,
chances of the parts of the electrical apparatus being damaged by touching the projecting
conducting part are increased.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] With the foregoing in the view, it is an object of the present invention to provide
a connection device for an electrical apparatus which can prevent the electrical apparatus
from being damaged by a conducting part.
[0006] A connection device
(1) for an electrical apparatus
(E) of the present invention includes: a conducting part
(39) which comes into contact with a terminal
(Eb) projecting from an outer surface of the electrical apparatus
(E) to establish an electrical connection for charging or communication; and a housing
(H). The housing
(H) includes a wall part
(F). A hole
(601) which exposes the conducting part
(39) is formed in the wall part
(F) of the housing
(H). An outer surface
(3901) of the conducting part
(39) is located closer to an inside of the housing
(H) than an outer surface
(F1) of the wall part
(F), or at the same surface level as the outer surface
(F1) of the wall part
(F).
[0007] In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that a sectional configuration
parallel to one direction, of the wall part
(F) is in a convex shape
(C1) and a vertex
(T) of the convex shaped wall part
(F) projects outward, and the conducting part
(39) is on an end of the vertex
(T).
[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the sectional configuration
parallel to the one direction, of the conducting part
(39) is in a convex shape
(C2), and a vertex
(T1) of the convex shaped conducting part
(39) projects outward.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the one direction is an installation direction
of the electrical apparatus
(E) to the connection device
(1). In the connection device
(1), the wall part
(F) includes a long groove
(60) that extends in the one direction, in an area surrounding the conducting part
(39). It is preferable that the conducting part
(39) is positioned inside the long groove
(60).
[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that a concave surface
(61), which is located at the same surface level as the outer surface
(3901) of the conducting part
(39), is provided in a surface near the conducting part
(39) which is on an end of a vertex
(T) on the wall part
(F).
[0011] In the present invention, because compared to surrounding walls, the conducting part
is not projected, the conducting part is less likely to damage a surface of the electrical
apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part of a cleaning device for an electrical
apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a state where the electrical apparatus is installed
to the cleaning device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a state where the electrical apparatus is installed
to the cleaning device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of an essential part of the cleaning device according
to the embodiment;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an essential part of the cleaning device
according to the embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the cleaning device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of a state where the electrical apparatus is
installed to the cleaning device according to the embodiment; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an essential part of a variation of the cleaning device
according to the embodiment.
EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0013] Followings are detailed description according to an embodiment of the present invention
based on drawings.
[0014] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 7, a connection device
1 according to the embodiment includes: a conducting part
39 which comes into contact with a terminal
Eb projecting from an outer surface of an electrical apparatus
E to establish an electrical connection for charging or communication; and a housing
H. The housing
H includes a wall part
F. A hole
601 which exposes the conducting part
39 is formed in the wall part
F of the housing
H. An outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39 is located closer to an inside of the housing
H than an outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F, or at the same surface level as the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F.
[0015] The connection device 1 according to the embodiment is a cleaning device that is
configured to establish an electrical connection to the electrical apparatus
E, which is a rechargeable electrical apparatus such as an electric shaver (a reciprocating
electric shaver for example), to clean a cleaned part (blade head for example)
Ea of the electrical apparatus
E. The rechargeable electrical apparatus may be an electric shaver such as a reciprocating
electric shaver, a mobile phone or a rechargeable microphone.
[0016] In the connection device
1, the housing
H is configured by parts such as a base
11, a lateral cover
15, a front cover
16, and a top-face cover
2. A cleaning part
20 has an opening on a top surface of the top-face cover
2 in order to insert the cleaned part (the blade head)
Ea, of the electrical apparatus
E in inverted position.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the connection device
1 includes: in its inside, a container
7 for storing cleaning liquid; a pump
P which is configured so as to circulate the cleaning liquid between the container
7 and a cleaning part
52; and a heating unit and a fan motor for drying the cleaned part (blade head)
Ea after a cleaning process. The connection device
1 has a support part
S. The support part
S includes the conducting part
39, and the conducting part
39 is configured to establish an electrical connection to the electrical apparatus
E.
[0018] The container
7 with the cleaning liquid is positioned in the base
11. The terminal
Eb of the connection device
1 is electrically connected to the electrical apparatus
E at the conducting part
39 of the support part
S as soon as the cleaned part (blade head)
Ea of the electrical apparatus
E is inserted into the cleaning part
20. When the pump
P is activated, the pump
P supplies the cleaning liquid in the container
7 to the cleaning part
20. Also, the cleaning part
20 includes an overflow part
53. Cleaning liquid overflowing the cleaning part
20 is returned to the container
7 which is located below the cleaning part
20, through the overflow part
53. While the blade head
Ea being cleaned, the blade head
Ea of the electrical apparatus
E is activated through sending of signals and charging from the cleaning device
1 to the electrical apparatus
E through the conducting part
39. This enables to clean the blade head
Ea more quickly and effectively.
[0019] The cleaning part
20 is positioned on a first side in a first direction (front side in a front-back direction
in FIG.3) in the cleaning device
1, and the first side defines a front side of the cleaning device
1 for example.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the support part
S includes a support block
6 and a back-part cover
23 which the top-face cover
2 has. The support block
6 is positioned on a second side in the first direction (back side in a front-back
direction of the cleaning part
20 in the drawing), and in the first direction, the back-part cover
23 is positioned closer to the second side than the support block
6. The back-part cover
23 covers the second side of the support block
6. Further, in a second direction (for example, a vertical direction of the cleaning
device
1 in FG.4), the support part
S is formed so as to rise from the top-face cover
2.
[0021] Also, as shown in FIG.2 to FIG.4, the support block
6 of the support part
S and the back-part cover
23 are part of the housing
H.
[0022] As shown in FIG.5, in the connection device
1 according to the embodiment, a sectional configuration parallel to the second direction,
of the wall part
F, is shaped in a convex shape
C1. A vertex
T of the convex shaped wall part
F projects outward, and the conducting part
39 is on an end of the vertex
T. Further the second direction corresponds to "one direction" in the present invention.
[0023] In particular, in a cross section parallel to the second direction (longitudinal
plane), the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F of the support block
6 projects forward and shaped in the convex shape
C1 including the vertex
T. The hole
601 is provided near the vertex
T of the wall part F and the outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39 is exposed by the hole
601.
[0024] As shown in FIG.5 to FIG. 8, the conducting part
39 is positioned in front of a movable terminal block
38. The movable terminal block
38 and the conducting part
39 are biased toward the wall part
F side by a spring
37 positioned behind the movable terminal block
38 and the conducting part
39. Also, a stopper
40 is configured so as to limit amounts of the movable terminal block
38 and the conducting part
39 projecting toward the wall part
F side by the spring bias (spring elastic). Further, a supporting base
35 is provided inside of the support block
6 so as to hold internal members such as the spring
37 and the stopper
40.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, in the connection device
1 according to the embodiment, the sectional configuration parallel to the second direction
(one direction), of the conducting part
39 is in a convex shape
C2. A vertex
T1 of the convex shaped conducting part
39 projects outward. Also, each conducting part
39 curves forward.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows an essential part of the support block
6. Both the stopper
40 and the spring
37 are positioned behind (the second side in the first direction) the movable terminal
block
38 and the conducting part
39. The spring
37 is provided between the stopper
40 and the supporting base
35. In this case, the spring
37 is positioned inside of a guide provided on the supporting base
35. Also, the stopper
40 includes a projection
40a extracted from an inner surface
401 to the supporting base
35. The projection
40a projects into an inner hollow of the spring
37. Hence, the spring
37 is retained between the stopper
40 and the supporting base
35.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the amount of the projection of the stopper
40 is limited by the movable terminal block
38 (see a projection-control part
381 in the drawing for detail).
[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, in the sectional configuration of the wall part
F parallel to a third direction, the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F of the support block
6 includes a curved shape
CV. Here, the third direction defines a right-left direction of the cleaning device
1 shown in for example FIG.4.
[0029] In the wall part
F of the support block
6, as shown in FIG. 7, the more than two (three in the drawing) conducting parts
39 are provided in predefined intervals in the third direction. Those conducting parts
39 can individually retract in the first direction against the bias of the spring
37.
[0030] Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the connection device
1 according to the embodiment includes a long groove
60 extending in the second direction, in an area surrounding the conducting part
39 of the wall part
F, and the conducting part
39 is positioned inside this long groove
60.
[0031] Further, more than two (three in drawing) long grooves
60 are provided in predefined intervals in the wall part
F along the third direction.
[0032] In the connection device
1, the conducting part
39 is positioned inside of the long groove
60 formed in the wall part
F of the support block
6 in the third direction (longitudinal direction). In the conducting part
39, the vertex
T1 of the convex shape
C2 (the outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39) is provided at the same surface level as the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F. In the example of FIG. 4, a recess is provided in a part (upper part) of the central
long groove
60, and the hole
601 is provided in other part. In this way, the outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39 is exposed by the hole
601. Further, an upper end side surface of the conducting part
39 is substantially at the same surface level as the recess. In short, the upper end
side surface of the conducting part
39 is located at the same surface level as the recess, or behind the recess. When the
terminal
Eb is in contact with the outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39 along the longitudinal direction, the conducting part
39 is configured to shift sufficiently in the front-back direction in response to a
connecting position with the terminal
Eb and the projection amount of the spring
37. Therefore, it is possible to improve accuracy of charging or communication that is
performed between the conducting part
39 and the terminal
Eb. Further, there is a possibility of damaging the outer surface of the electrical apparatus
E, if the conducting part
39 is projected from the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F. Hence, it is preferable that the vertex
T1 of the conducting part
39 is at the same surface level as the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F. As shown in FIG. 1, the conducting part
39 includes the convex shape
C2, and further the recess and the upper end surface of the conducting part
39 are substantially at the same surface level as each other. For this reason, the conducting
part
39 can be shifted sufficiently in the forward-back direction, and further, it is possible
to decrease chances of
the terminal
Eb being hooked to an inner surface of the hole
601 upon attaching and removing of the electrical apparatus
E. Therefore, it is possible to decrease chances of the terminal
Eb being hooked to the inner surface of the hole
601 and suppress the damage of terminal
Eb for example, when the electrical apparatus
E is positioned into the connection device
1 or the electrical apparatus
E is removed from the connection device
1. Also, when the blade head
Ea of the electrical apparatus
E is inserted in the cleaning part
20, the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F of the support block
6 comes into contact with the outer surface of the electrical apparatus
E, and it is possible to suppress the possibility of the conducting part
39 damaging the outer surface of the electrical apparatus
E by providing the outer surface
3901 of the conducting part
39 at the same surface level as the outer surface
F1, and positioning the conducting part
39 behind the outer surface
F1.
[0033] Further, the terminal
Eb of the electrical apparatus
E being in contact with the conducting part
39, projects above the outer surface of the electrical apparatus
E. However, the conducting part
39 is located near the vertex
T of the outer surface
F1 of the support block
6, and further, when the blade head
Ea of the electrical apparatus
E is inserted in the cleaning part
20, the terminal
Eb comes in contact with the conducting part
39 after passing on the long groove
60 provided in the wall part
F of the support block
6 in the third direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress possibility of the
terminal
Eb damaging the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F of the support block
6.
[0034] Note that, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 8, a contact pressure between the terminal
Eb and the conducting part
39 is maintained by the terminal
Eb pressing the conducting part
39 against the spring
37. Further, since in longitudinal plan the conducting part
39 includes the convex shape
C2, the conducting part
39 can give optimum operational feeling when the electrical apparatus
E is positioned. Furthermore, the electrical apparatus
E smoothly enters a state where maximum pressure from elastic bias of the spring
37 is given when the terminal Eb of the electrical apparatus E slides and comes into
contact with the conducting part
39.
[0035] A variation of the connection device according to the embodiment is shown in FIG.
9. A basic configuration of the variation is similar to the above mentioned embodiment.
However, the variation shown in FIG. 9 is different in that concave surfaces
61, each of which is for leveling an outer surface
F1 of a wall part
F with a surface of a conducting part
39, are provided. On both lateral sides of each long groove
60 provided in the wall part
F, two concave surfaces
61 are respectively provided so as to correspond to a vertex
T of a convex shape
C1 which projects to the front of the outer surface
F1 of the wall part
F of a support block
6. The concave surfaces
61 can prevent occurrence of an uneven surface caused by a difference between a curvature
of the convex shape
C1 of the outer surface
F1 which is located on the wall part
F of the support block
6 and a curvature of a convex shape
C2 projecting to front of the conducting part
39. Further, by providing the concave surfaces
61 on the both lateral sides of each long groove
60, the wall part
F, providing the conducting part
39, can include a plan with reduced uneven surface between the convex shape
C1 and the convex shape
C2 in the right-left direction. This can reduce a terminal
Eb being hooked to an inside surface of a hole
601 when the terminal
Eb is slid in the right-left direction. Furthermore, the wall part
F including the plan with reduced uneven surface as mentioned above, allows communization
of more than two (three in the figure) parts provided in the support block
6 such as the conducting part
39. In addition, it is possible to notify a user of the position of the conducting part
39 in a way so that the user can identify the position of the conducting part
39 instinctively. As well as that, the concave surfaces
61 can accommodate a change of a shape of the conducting part
39 or position of a terminal
Eb of the electrical apparatus
E through changing a shape or position of the concave surfaces
61.