Patent Application
20140179153
The emergence and popularity of mobile computing has made portable electronic devices—due to their compact design and light weight—a staple in today's marketplace. As these devices become further miniaturized, maintaining satisfactory battery power and life becomes a greater concern. The batteries of mobile devices, such as notebook computers, are generally powered via connection of a power adapter and cord coupled with an electrical power outlet. Generally, these power adapters include lengthy cords in order to allow for additional mobility by the operating user. However, when traveling with the portable device, both the bulky size of the power adapter and length of the associated cord combine to make the entire power assembly unwieldy and cumbersome during transport.
The features and advantages of the inventions as well as additional features and advantages thereof will be more clearly understood hereinafter as a result of a detailed description of particular embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
The following discussion is directed to various embodiments. Although one or more of these embodiments may be discussed in detail, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be an example of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment. Furthermore, as used herein, the designators “A”, “B” and “N” particularly with respect to the reference numerals in the drawings, indicate that a number of the particular feature so designated can be included with examples of the present disclosure. The designators can represent the same or different numbers of the particular features.
The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the first digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and the remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures may be identified by the user of similar digits. For example, 143 may reference element “43” in
Proper maintenance of adapter cords is often problematic for people on the go as lengthy cords are not always effectively secured and tend to get tangled. Prior solutions to the aforementioned problem include a hook and loop fastener(s) attached to an associated cord that wraps around the entire assembly. Even when using the hook and loop fastener, however, the power cord undesirably hangs away from the adapter housing and thus fails to provide a simple and clean management solution. Other solutions include geometric formation of a number fastening or grapple portions for wrapping the cord around the adapter. However, such a solution creates protruding elements that can become easily damaged and broken, thus rendering the solution ineffective.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose an adapter cord management assembly. According to one example, the power adapter management assembly includes magnetic features formed on the electrical plug and the adapter housing. The adapter cord may be wrapped around the housing and securely fixed to the housing by virtue of the plug connector being magnetically coupled to the adapter housing. As such, examples of the present invention provide an intuitive and clean design for effective cable management of a power adapter.
Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like numerals identify corresponding parts throughout the views,
Embodiments of the present invention provide an adapter cord management assembly. Moreover, many advantages are afforded by the cord management assembly according to embodiments of the present invention. For instance, since the present example incorporates the attachment means within the casing of the assembly, a user does not have to worry about losing or breaking any additional part(s) of the assembly. Moreover, the present solution serves to provide a simple and intuitive design that is easily operated and aesthetically pleasing to the user during transport of the computer and associated power cord assembly.
Furthermore, while the invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications are possible. For example, although exemplary embodiments depict a magnet as the attachment mechanism, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the attachment features may be a pressure-sensitive adhesive, latch, snap fastener, or any other attachment mechanism capable of easy attachment and detachment.
Not all components, features, structures, characteristics, etc. described and illustrated herein need be included in a particular embodiment or embodiments. If the specification states a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, for example, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included. If the specification or claim refers to “a” or “an” element, that does not mean there is only one of the element. If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.
It is to be noted that, although some embodiments have been described in reference to particular implementations, other implementations are possible according to some embodiments. Additionally, the arrangement o order of elements or other features illustrated in the drawings or described herein need not be arranged in the particular way illustrated and described. Many other arrangements are possible according to some embodiments.
The techniques are not restricted to the particular details listed herein. Indeed, those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will appreciate that many other variations from the foregoing description and drawings may be made within the scope of the present techniques. Accordingly, it is the following claims including any amendments thereto that define the scope of the techniques.
