Power cord and home appliance provided with same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11239613-B2
Application number	US-201716652396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of intelligent electrical appliances. Disclosed are a power cord (10) and a home appliance (20) provided with same. The power cord is used for supplying power to a home appliance, and is also used for mounting a communication module (300). The communication module is used for implementing wireless communication between the home appliance (20) and an external device. The power cord (10) comprises a line body (2), a plug (1) disposed at one end of the line body, a line body fixing portion (5) disposed on the part of the line body distant from the plug (1) and used for fixing the line body (2) on the home appliance, and an intelligent module mounting portion (S) disposed adjacent to the line body fixing portion (5) and disposed on the line body, wherein the intelligent module mounting portion (S) is provided with a base (100) having an accommodation cavity (B) and a cover (200) matching the base (100) so as to enclose the accommodation cavity (B). The communication module (300) is accommodated in the accommodation cavity (B). The present power cord can stably mount an intelligent module, is convenient to use, and implements easy mounting and removal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power cord comprising:
a line body;
a plug disposed at a first end of the line body;
a line body fixing portion disposed on a part of the line body distal from the plug, the line body fixing portion configured to fix the line body on a home appliance;
an intelligent module mounting portion disposed on the line body adjacent to the line body fixing portion, the intelligent module mounting portion including:
a base having an accommodation cavity, and
a cover fitted with the base and configured to enclose the accommodation cavity; and

a communication module accommodated in the accommodation cavity,
wherein the base comprises a bottom wall and four side walls, and the accommodation cavity is enclosed by the bottom wall and the four side walls;
wherein the line body fixing portion comprises two end faces and a snap-fit groove between the two end faces, and a side wall of the base adjacent to the line body fixing portion and a first end face of the two end faces adjacent to the base are parts of a monolithic structure; and
wherein a second end face of the two end faces includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the second end face distal from the base.

2. The power cord of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the wire notch being positioned in a side wall of the base that is adjacent to the line body fixing portion.

3. The power cord of claim 2 , wherein the base includes a restricting slot, in which the lead wires can be embedded, the restriction slot being positioned in a part of the bottom wall adjacent to the wire notch.

4. The power cord of claim 3 , wherein the restricting slot extends from the wire notch to a central area of the bottom wall.

5. The power cord of claim 2 , wherein the cover is rotatably coupled with respect to the base at a side wall of the four side walls that is distal from the wire notch, and
wherein the power cord further comprises snap-fit structures configured to snap fit to one another, the snap-fit structures positioned on the cover and a side wall of the four side walls that is adjacent to the wire notch.

6. The power cord of claim 1 , wherein the cover is one or more of:
removably mounted on the base; or
rotatably coupled to the base.

7. The power cord of claim 1 , wherein the base includes a mounting hole, through which the line body passes, in a bottom of the base.

8. A home appliance, comprising a housing, a communication module, a back plate assembled with the housing, and a power cord, the power cord including:
a line body;
a plug disposed at a first end of the line body;
a line body fixing portion disposed on a part of the line body distal from the plug; and
an intelligent module mounting portion disposed on the line body adjacent to the line body fixing portion, the intelligent module mounting portion including:
a base having an accommodation cavity, and
a cover fitted with the base and configured to enclose the accommodation cavity;

wherein the line body fixing portion is fixed on the back plate, and the communication module is accommodated in the accommodation cavity and extends out of the housing;
wherein the base comprises a bottom wall and four side walls, and the accommodation cavity is enclosed by the bottom wall and the four side walls,
wherein the line body fixing portion comprises two end faces and a snap-fit groove between the two end faces, and a side wall of the base adjacent to the line body fixing portion and a first end face of the two end faces adjacent to the base are parts of a monolithic structure; and
wherein a second end face of the two end faces includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the second end face distal from the base.

9. The home appliance of claim 8 , wherein the back plate includes a mounting hole; the line body fixing portion comprises two end faces and a snap-fit groove between the two end faces; and the power cord is snap-fitted in the mounting hole via the snap-fit groove.

10. The home appliance of claim 8 , wherein the base includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the wire notch being positioned in a side wall of the base that is adjacent to the line body fixing portion.

11. The home appliance of claim 10 , wherein the base includes a restricting slot, in which the lead wires can be embedded, the restriction slot being positioned in a part of the bottom wall adjacent to the wire notch.

12. The home appliance of claim 11 , wherein the restricting slot extends from the wire notch to a central area of the bottom wall.

13. The home appliance of claim 8 , wherein the cover is one or more of:
removably mounted on the base; or
rotatably coupled to the base.

14. The home appliance of claim 8 , wherein the base includes a mounting hole, through which the line body passes, in a bottom of the base.

15. A home appliance, comprising
a body; and
a power cord coupled to the body, the power cord including:
a line body;
a plug disposed at a first end of the line body;
a line body fixing portion disposed on a part of the line body distal from the plug, the line body fixing portion configured to fix the line body on the body;
an intelligent module mounting portion disposed on the line body adjacent to the line body fixing portion, the intelligent module mounting portion including:
a base having an accommodation cavity, and
a cover fitted with the base and configured to enclose the accommodation cavity; and

a communication module accommodated in the accommodation cavity,
wherein the base comprises a bottom wall and four side walls, and the accommodation cavity is enclosed by the bottom wall and the four side walls;
wherein the line body fixing portion comprises two end faces and a snap-fit groove between the two end faces, and a side wall of the base adjacent to the line body fixing portion and a first end face of the two end faces adjacent to the base are parts of a monolithic structure; and
wherein a second end face of the two end faces includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the second end face distal from the base.

16. The home appliance of claim 15 , wherein the base includes a wire notch for passing through a lead wire that connects the communication module to the home appliance, the wire notch being positioned in a side wall of the base that is adjacent to the line body fixing portion.

17. The home appliance of claim 16 , wherein the base includes a restricting slot, in which the lead wires can be embedded, the restriction slot being positioned in a part of the bottom wall adjacent to the wire notch.

18. The home appliance of claim 17 , wherein the restricting slot extends from the wire notch to a central area of the bottom wall.

19. The home appliance of claim 15 , wherein the cover is one or more of:
removably mounted on the base; or
rotatably coupled to the base.

20. The home appliance of claim 15 , wherein the base includes a mounting hole, through which the line body passes, in a bottom of the base.

Assignees

• Guangdong Midea Kitchen Appliances Mfg Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tian Yun
• Huang Peilin
• Jin Guanghai
• Hu Qiong

Classifications

• H02G15/00

  Cable fittings · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H01R13/658

  High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] {(coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05)} · CPC title

• H01R13/639 Primary

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title

• H01R13/6691 Primary

  with built-in signalling means (H01R13/717 takes precedence) · CPC title