Multi-connector memory card with retractable sheath to protect the connectors

• US 6,908,038 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Imotion
• Inventors: Le, Trung V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hess, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US10/788,591
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 235/441, 235/492, 361/737, 439/141, 439/638
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/026 having standardized interfaces flash memory cards G06K19/077
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0265 of PCMCIA type
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

The invention is directed to a multi-connector memory card that includes a device connector and a connector that conform to a device connection standard and a host connection standard respectively. The dimensions of the memory card may substantially conform to dimensions of a memory card standard, such as a MultiMedia Card standard or a Secure Digital standard. A retractable sheath fits over a housing of the memory card to protect electrical contacts on the device-connector and the host connector. In particular, the retractable sheath that can be positioned in a first position to cover the host connector and expose the device connector, and a second position to cover the device connector and expose the host connector.

Claims

1. A memory card comprising:

a housing;

a memory in the housing;

a device connector on the housing, the device connector conforming to a device connection standard and allowing access to the memory by a device compatible with the device connection standard; and

a host connector protruding from the housing, the host connector conforming to a host connection standard and allowing access to the memory upon insertion of the host connector into a computer interface compatible with the host connection standard, wherein the housing and the host connector protruding from the housing define memory card dimensions which substantially conform to dimensions including a height of approximately 32 mm, and a width of approximately 24 mm.

2. The memory card of claim 1, wherein the device connection standard comprises one of a MultiMedia Card standard and a Secure Digital standard.

3. The memory card of claim 1, wherein the host connection standard comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard.

4. The memory card of claim 1, wherein the host connector comprise a shieldless tab.

5. The memory card of claim 1, further comprising a memory card control unit that accepts firmware updates via the host connector interface.

6. The memory card of claim 5, wherein the memory is partitioned such that the firmware updates are stored in a first partitioned section of the memory and a data storage area is defined in a second section of the memory.

8. The memory card of claim 1, wherein the host connector protrudes from an edge of the memory card, wherein a thickness of the host connector is less than or equal to the thickness of the memory card.

9. The memory card of claim 1, further comprising a retractable sheath that can be positioned in a first position to cover the host connector and expose the device connector, and a second position to cover the device connector and expose the host connector.

10. The memory card of claim 9, wherein the housing and the retractable sheath collectively define a form factor of the memory card that substantially conforms to a form factor of the memory card standard when the retractable sheath is positioned in the first position to cover the host connector.

7. The memory card of clam 1, wherein a thickness of the memory card is one of approximately 1.4 mm and approximately 2.1 mm.

11. A memory card comprising:

a housing;

a memory device in the housing;

a device connector including one or more electrical contacts on the housing, the device connector conforming to a device connection standard and allowing access to the memory by a device compatible with the device connection standard;

a host connector protruding from the housing, the host connector conforming to a host connection standard and allowing access to the memory upon insertion of the host connector into a computer interface compatible with the host connection standard; and

a retractable sheath that can be positioned in a first position to cover the host connector and expose the device connector, and a second position to cover the device connector and expose the host connector.

12. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the host connection standard comprises one of a personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA) standard, a PC Card standard, a CardBus standard, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, a Universal Serial Bus 2 (USB2) standard, an IEEE 1394 FireWire standard, a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) standard, an Advance Technology Attachment (ATA) standard, a serial ATA standard, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) standard, and a PCI Express standard.

13. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the host connection standard comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, and the device connection standard comprises one of a MultiMedia Card standard and a Secure Digital standard.

14. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the host connector comprises a tab.

15. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the host connector protrudes from an edge of the memory card, wherein a thickness of the host connector is less than or equal to the thickness of the memory card.

16. The memory card of claim 11, further comprising a locking mechanism formed on either the retractable sheath or the housing to lock the retractable sheath into one of the first position and the second position.

17. The memory card of claim 11, further comprising a stopping mechanism formed on the retractable sheath to prevent removal of the retractable sheath beyond one of the first position and the second position.

18. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the retractable sheath comprises:

a device connector opening defining a size that allows access to the device connector when the retractable sheath is in the first position; and

a host connector opening defining a size that allows access to the host connector when the retractable sheath is in the second position.

19. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the device connection standard comprises one of a MultiMedia Card standard and a Secure Digital standard and the memory card defines a height of approximately 32 mm, and a width of approximately 24 mm.

20. The memory card of claim 11, wherein the housing and the retractable sheath collectively define a form factor of the memory card that substantially conforms to a form factor of the memory card standard when the retractable sheath is positioned in the first position to cover the host connector.