Portable computer peripheral apparatus with reinforced connecting ring

• US 7,035,110 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Edward W., Ni, Jim, Wang, Kuang-Yu, Chiou, Ren-Kang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Hung V.
• Application Number:
  US10/964,412
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 439/79, 361/737, 361/752, 257/679
• US Class Current: 361/737
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

A computer peripheral device including a USB plug connector in which a reinforced connecting ring is mounted over the front flange of a two-part housing, and includes an opening through which the USB plug connector protrudes. The connecting ring includes a collar that is sized to mount over the front flange using an interference fit. The connecting ring also includes a front plate that protects a front of the housing from damage during use. An optional rear connecting ring is used to further secure the housing together.

Claims

1. A portable computer peripheral apparatus comprising:

an elongated housing including;

a lower cover including a lower wall, and

an upper cover mounted over the lower cover, the upper cover including the upper wall of the housing,

wherein at least one of the lower cover and the upper cover include side walls extending between the lower wall and the upper wall, and

wherein the lower and upper covers include a front flange structure defining a front opening;

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including;

a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted inside of the housing,

at least one of a controller circuit and a memory circuit mounted on the PCB, and

a plug connector mounted onto a front end of the PCB; and

a front reinforced connecting ring including a first collar surrounding the front flange structure of the upper and lower covers, and defining a central opening,

wherein the plug connector extends through the front opening of the housing and the central opening of the front reinforced connecting ring.

2. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug connector having a substantially rectangular cross-section, and wherein the front reinforced connecting ring includes a front plate, and wherein the central opening defined by the front plate is rectangular and approximately the same size as the cross-section of the USB plug connector.

3. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the front plate is located between a front edge of the USB plug connector and a front edge of the front flange structure such that the front plate covers the front edge of the front flange structure.

4. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first collar includes an inner peripheral surface defining a first resting size wherein the front flange structure includes an external peripheral surface defining a second resting size, and wherein the first resting size is smaller than the second resting size such that the first collar is attached to the front flange structure using interference fit.

5. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first collar has an outer peripheral surface defining a first external size, wherein the upper and lower covers of the housing have a second external peripheral surface defining a second external size, and wherein the first external size is substantially equal to the second external size such that the outer peripheral surface of the first collar is substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the housing.

6. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the outer peripheral surfaces of the first collar and the housing have a maximum width that is less than 19.5 mm.

7. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the outer peripheral surfaces of both the first collar and the housing have a maximum height that is less than 9.6 mm.

8. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower and upper covers include a rear flange structure, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a rear reinforced connecting ring including a second collar surrounding the rear flange structure of the upper and lower covers.

9. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rear reinforced connecting ring includes a rear plate formed on the second collar such that the rear plate extends over a rear edge of the rear flange structure.

10. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the rear plate defines a rear central opening.

11. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a key-ring holder extending through the rear central opening defined by the rear plate.

12. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second collar includes an inner peripheral surface defining a first resting size, wherein the rear flange structure includes an external peripheral surface defining a second resting size, and wherein the first resting size is smaller than the second resting size such that the second collar is attached to the rear flange structure using interference fit.

13. The portable computer peripheral apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second collar has an outer peripheral surface defining a first external size, and wherein the upper and lower covers of the housing have a second external peripheral surface defining a second external size, and wherein the first external size is substantially equal to the second external size such that the outer peripheral surface of the second collar is substantially flush with the outer peripheral surface of the housing.

14. A method for manufacturing a pen-type computer peripheral apparatus including a housing having a lower cover and an upper cover collectively including a lower wall, an upper wall and side walls extending between the lower wall and the upper wall, and collectively including a front flange structure defining a front opening, the pen-type computer peripheral apparatus also including a plug connector extending from the housing, the method comprising:

mounting a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) inside onto the lower cover of the housing, wherein the PCBA includes a printed circuit board (PCB), at least one of a controller circuit and a memory circuit mounted on the PCB, and the plug connector mounted onto a front end of the PCB;

mounting the upper cover onto the lower cover such that said at least one of the controller circuit and the memory circuit are enclosed inside of the housing and the plug connector extends through the front opening; and

mounting a front reinforced connecting ring onto the front flange structure such that the upper and lower covers are secured together.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein mounting the front reinforced connecting ring comprises press fitting the front reinforced connecting ring onto the front flange structure.

16. The method according to claim 14,

wherein the lower cover and the upper cover include a rear flange structure;

and

wherein the method further comprises mounting a rear reinforced connecting ring onto the rear flange structure.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein mounting the rear reinforced connecting ring comprises press fitting the rear reinforced connecting ring onto the rear flange structure.

18. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the rear flange structure comprises an rear opening,

wherein the rear reinforced connecting ring includes a rear plate defining a rear central opening aligned with the rear opening of the rear flange structure, and

wherein the method further comprises mounting a key-ring holder inside of the housing such that a portion of the key-ring holder extends through the rear opening of the rear flange structure and the rear central opening of the rear reinforced connecting ring.

19. The method according to claim 16,

wherein the rear flange structure comprises an rear opening,

wherein the rear reinforced connecting ring includes a rear plate defining a rear central opening aligned with the rear opening of the rear flange structure, and

wherein the method further comprises mounting a light-emitting diode (LED) light pipe inside of the housing such that a portion of the LED light pipe extends through the rear opening of the rear flange structure and the rear central opening of the rear reinforced connecting ring.