POWER ADAPTERS FOR POWERING AND/OR CHARGING PERIPHERAL DEVICES
A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device is disclosed. The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter. The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device.
1 . A power adapter, comprising:
a transformer for converting electrical power;
a housing configured to enclose the transformer;
a data port accessible at a first exterior surface of the housing, the data port having data contacts, a ground contact and a power contact, the power contact being electrically coupled to the transformer, the data port corresponding to an IEEE 1394 port or a Universal Serial Bus port; and
a plug positioned at a second exterior surface of the housing and having prongs configured for insertion into slots of an electrical outlet, the prongs being electrically coupled to the transformer.
2 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the plug is an AC power plug and the prongs comprise two flat parallel blades adapted for insertion into a standard U.S. AC outlet.
3 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the plug includes two prongs and the housing includes two parallel channels exposed at an outer surface of the housing.
4 . The power adapter set forth in claim 3 wherein the prongs are pivotably coupled to the housing so that they are moveable between an extended position that allows the prongs to be inserted into an electrical outlet and a recessed position in which each of the prongs is positioned within one of the parallel channels.
5 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the power adapter has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners.
6 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the power adapter further comprises a rectifier and wherein the transformer and rectifier combine to convert AC voltage provided to the power adapter through the prongs to a lower level DC voltage provided as external power out through the data port.
7 . The power adapter set forth in claim 6 wherein the external power ranges from 8-20 volts.
8 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the exterior surface of the housing that the data port is accessible at is opposite the plug.
9 . The power adapter set forth in claim 1 wherein the data contacts are dummy contacts that are not used for transmitting data.
10 . A power adapter, comprising:
electrical components configured to convert AC power received by the power adapter into external DC power;
a housing configured to enclose the electrical components;
a data port accessible at a first exterior surface of the housing, the data port having first and second dummy data contacts that are not used for transmitting data, a ground contact and a power contact, the power contact being operatively coupled to the electrical components, the data port corresponding to an IEEE 1394 port or a Universal Serial Bus port; and
a plug positioned at a second exterior surface of the housing and having prongs configured for insertion into slots of an electrical outlet, the prongs being operatively coupled to the transformer.
11 . The power adapter set forth in claim 10 wherein the external DC power ranges from about 8-20 volts.
12 . The power adapter set forth in claim 10 wherein the plug includes two prongs and the housing includes two parallel channels exposed at an outer surface of the plug body.
13 . The power adapter set forth in claim 12 wherein the prongs are pivotably coupled to the housing so that they are moveable between an extended position that allows the prongs to be inserted into an electrical outlet and a recessed position in which each of the prongs is positioned within one of the parallel channels.
14 . The power adapter set forth in claim 10 wherein the power adapter has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners.
15 . The power adapter set forth in claim 14 wherein the prongs of the plug comprise two flat parallel blades.