JPH02288176A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To construct a computer in a small size and simplify connection and separation of a connector by inputting/outputting connections with any other computer or an external device fitted to the computer proper using one connector in physical terms through an adapter. CONSTITUTION:Signals on external devices 21-23 from the computer body 11 are input/output by a connector 12. These signals are divided into signal groups of the corresponding external devices 21-23 at an adapter 13 by means of connecting it with the connector 12, and the connectors 15-17 are connected with the external devices 21-23, respectively. The computer 11 is connected electrically with these external devices 21-23 through adapter 13. This requires to use only one connector 12, whose width may also be small, wherein its fitting/ removal can be performed in a single run of operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a connector that takes measures for computer signal configuration and its distribution.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, connectors installed in conventional computers for connecting to external devices or other computers are connectors for the corresponding external devices or other computers, respectively. A connector for serial communication, a connector for parallel communication, a keyboard connector, a video connector, etc. are each mounted on the computer as one connector, and through these corresponding connectors, for example, a modem, printer, keyboard, CRT, etc. can be connected to the computer. connected to form a system. It is thus a natural way to implement a corresponding connector for the connection of the external device or the other computer.

However, in small computers that have become possible due to the miniaturization of electrical and electronic components, there are cases where it becomes impossible to reduce the size of the small computer beyond a certain level by mounting multiple connectors. be. In other words, the size of the computer is determined by the connectors installed.

Further, one of the features of the small computer is that it can be easily carried, but when a plurality of the external devices or the other computers are connected by a plurality of connectors, the number of connected connectors can be connected to the computer. It was necessary to disconnect the device from the device, and then connect it to multiple connectors, which reduced the functionality of the device when it was used as a device, and the features of the mode of use were neglected.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

It is an object of the present invention to solve these problems, reduce the restrictions imposed by connectors on the miniaturization of computers, make it possible to realize smaller computers, and at the same time provide a computer in which connectors can be easily connected and disconnected. There is a particular thing.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention is characterized in that it is implemented in a computer and that signals related to a plurality of different types of external devices or other computers are physically input and output through one connector via an adapter.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the present invention, in which 11 is a computer main body, 12 is a connector A, 13 is an adapter, and 14 is a part of the adapter, which is connected to the connector A.
Connector B that can be connected to (12), 15 is a part of the adapter (13), connector C 116 is a connector D that is a part of the adapter (13), 17 is a connector that is a part of the adapter (13) E, 21
18 is the external device A, 18 is the connector F connected to the external device A (22), 122 is the external device B, 19 is the connector G connected to the external device B (22), 2
3 is an external device Cl2O is a connector H connected to the external device C (23). In FIG. 1, from the computer main body (11) indicated by Ωθ to the external device A,
Signals related to B and C (21, 22, 23) are input and output through the connector A, and the signals are transmitted by connecting the adapter (13) to the connector A (12). 13), the signals are divided into groups of signals of corresponding external devices, and appear at the connectors C, D, and E (15°16.17), and each connector is connected to external devices A, B, and C (2
1, 22, 23). In this way, the computer (11) and the external device A.

B, C (21, 22, 23) are the adapters (1
3). In the conventional example, three connectors were mounted on the computer to connect external equipment and the computer, but with the present invention, only one connector is required, and the width is also small because the necessary part for mounting the connector can be omitted. can do. Further, the connector can be attached and detached only once.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, 24 is a computer, 25 is a connector A mounted on the computer, 26 is an adapter, 27 is a part of the adapter, and 28 is a part of the adapter, which can be connected to the connector A (25). A certain connector C129 is connected to a connector D which is a part of the adapter, 30 is a connector E which is a part of the adapter, 34 is a CRT, 35 is a keyboard, 36 is a mouse, and 31 is connected to the CRT (34). Connector F, 32 is connector G connected to the keyboard, and 33 is connector H connected to the mouse.

In the computer (24), the CRT (34)
), a keyboard (35), and a mouse (36) are provided in the connector A, and the connector B (27), which is a part of the adapter (26), is connected to the connector A (25). By doing so, the signal group prepared for the connector A (25) is divided, and the signals related to the CRT (34) are transferred to the connector C.
(28), signals related to the keyboard (35) are assigned to the connector D (29), and signals related to the mouse (36) are assigned to the connector E (30). The connector F (connected to the CRT (34)
31) is connected to the connector C (2B), so that the CRT (34) connects to the computer (24).
electrically connected to. Further, the connector G (32) connected to the keyboard (35) is connected to the connector D (29), so that the keyboard (35) is connected to the connector D (29).
35) is electrically connected to the computer (24). Furthermore, the mouse (36) is electrically connected to the computer (24) by connecting the connector H (33) connected to the mouse (36) to the connector E (30). The connectors A and B (25, 27) are connected to the CRT (3)
4) As long as the signals related to the keyboard (35) and mouse (36) are assigned, their shape and size may be arbitrary, but the connectors C, D, and E
(28, 29, 30) are the connector F, respectively.
Shape that can be connected to G, H (31, 32, 33),
It has great size.

Figure 4 shows the signals assigned to connectors A and B (25, 27) and the signals assigned to connectors C, D, and E (28
, 29, 30). As can be seen from this table, by sharing the ground and +5Vdc, the number of signals on connector A or B (25, 27) is the same as that of connectors C, D, E (28, 29, 30).
) is less than the total number of signals.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention, where 37 is the computer A, 38 and 39 are the computers A (3
7) Connector A mounted on.

B, 40.48 are adapters A, B, respectively.
41 and 49 are the adapters A and B (
40, 48), respectively, and the connector A
, Connector C that can be connected to B (38, 39)
D. 46 is a CRT, 47 is a keyboard, 54 is a printer, 55 is a computer B, 44. 45. 5
2. 53 are the CRT (46), keyboard (47), printer (54), and computer B (5), respectively.
5) Connectors I, J,' connected to
L, 42° 43 are a part of the adapter A (40), and are respectively connected to the connectors I, J (44).
, 45) Connectors E, F, 50
．． 51 is a part of the adapter B (4B), and is a 1jL connector G and H that can be connected to the nθ co-connector and L (50, 51), respectively.

In the computer A (37), the CRT (4)
6), the signal for connecting the keyboard (47) is prepared in the connector A (3B), and the signal for connecting the keyboard (47) is prepared in the connector A (3B), and the signal for connecting the keyboard (47) is
Connector C (41) of 40) to connector A
(38), the connector A (2
The signal group prepared in 5) is divided and sent to the CRT (
46) is sent to the connector E (42), and a signal related to the keyboard (47) is sent to the connector F.
(43) is allocated. By connecting the connector E (42) to the connector I (44), the CRT (46) is electrically connected to the computer A (37). Furthermore, by connecting the connector F (43) to the connector J (45), the keyboard (47) is electrically connected to the computer A (37).

Further, in the computer A (37), a signal for connecting the printer (54) and computer B (55) is provided at the connector B (39), and the signal for connecting the printer (54) and computer B (55) is provided at the connector B (39), and the signal for connecting the printer (54) and computer B (55) is By connecting to the connector B (39), the signal group prepared for the connector B (39) is divided, and the signals related to the printer (54) are connected to the connector G (50), and the signals related to the computer B (65) are connected to the connector B (50). ) is assigned to the connector H (51). By connecting the connector G (50) to the connector K (52), the printer (54) is electrically connected to the computer A (37). Also, by connecting the connector H (51) to the connector L (53), the computer B (55)
is electrically connected to the computer A (37). This embodiment describes an example using two adapters.

Although the above two embodiments have been described, there are many external devices in the present invention other than the embodiments, such as modems, FDDs, expansion buses, LANs, etc., and all of them are included as long as they can be connected to a computer. As seen in the second embodiment, the use of multiple adapters is also part of the variation of the present invention, and furthermore, connecting the same type of external equipment with multiple adapters also meets the claims of the present invention. It's not something to overcome.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention has a tremendous effect in making computers smaller and easier to use, especially in small computers, which will increase in the future, by showing a method of realizing connections with external devices using smaller connectors. It is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing connections according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of assignment of signals to each bin in the adapter. 11...Main body 13...Adapter 15.16.17...Connector 21.22.23...External equipment or more Applicant Seiko Epson Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] A connector that is mounted on a computer and physically inputs and outputs a group of signals related to a plurality of different external devices or other computers through one connector via an adapter.