USB flash-memory card with perimeter frame and covers that allow mounting of chips on both sides of a PCB
First Claim
1. A framed card with an integrated Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector comprising:
- a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, the circuit board having edges around a perimeter of the top and bottom surfaces, the circuit board having wiring traces;
an integrated circuit mounted on the bottom surface of the circuit board;
a perimeter frame shaped to surround the circuit board on at least three of the edges of the circuit board, the perimeter frame having a height that is greater than a thickness of the circuit board between the top and bottom surfaces, the perimeter frame having a central opening approximately matching a shape of the bottom surface of the circuit board so that the circuit board can be inserted within the perimeter frame during assembly;
an upper cover, attachable to the perimeter frame during assembly, for covering the central opening of the perimeter frame to encapsulate the top surface of the circuit board when assembled;
a lower cover, attachable to the perimeter frame during assembly, for covering the central opening of the perimeter frame to encapsulate the bottom surface of the circuit board when assembled; and
a USB connector, extending from the perimeter frame and electrically connected to the circuit board, having USB metal contacts for mating with corresponding USB metal contacts in a USB socket when the USB connector is inserted into the USB socket the USB connector being attached to the circuit board so that the USB metal contacts are electrically connected to the integrated circuit on the circuit board through the wiring traces on the circuit board;
a plurality of dividers, substantially parallel to the USB metal contacts and formed between the USB metal contacts, each divider disposed between an adjacent pair of the USB metal contacts, the plurality of dividers rising above a level of the USB metal contacts when assembled;
wherein the plurality of dividers are for filling in a gap between the USB connector and the USB socket when the USB connector is inserted into the USB socket,whereby the circuit board is encapsulated on the edges by the perimeter frame and is encapsulated on a top by the upper cover and on a bottom by the lower cover that attach to the perimeter frame.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flash-memory-drive card has a Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector. The card has a printed-circuit board (PCB) that fits into a perimeter frame that surrounds the edges of the PCB. Metal or plastic upper and lower covers are snapped onto the frame to encapsulate the PCB. The USB connector can be a Full USB connector plug that extends from the perimeter frame and has a centerline approximately matching the PCB centerline for a balanced design, or can be a slim or reduced-height USB connector plug that has a frame closure bar that fits inside closure fittings on the perimeter frame. The USB connector can also be made from a frame extension that has four frame slots through the frame. The PCB has four PCB fingers that are inserted through the frame slots during assembly so that the PCB fingers fit within depressions in the frame extension to form the USB connector plug.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A framed card with an integrated Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector comprising:
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a circuit board having a top surface and a bottom surface substantially parallel to the top surface, the circuit board having edges around a perimeter of the top and bottom surfaces, the circuit board having wiring traces; an integrated circuit mounted on the bottom surface of the circuit board; a perimeter frame shaped to surround the circuit board on at least three of the edges of the circuit board, the perimeter frame having a height that is greater than a thickness of the circuit board between the top and bottom surfaces, the perimeter frame having a central opening approximately matching a shape of the bottom surface of the circuit board so that the circuit board can be inserted within the perimeter frame during assembly; an upper cover, attachable to the perimeter frame during assembly, for covering the central opening of the perimeter frame to encapsulate the top surface of the circuit board when assembled; a lower cover, attachable to the perimeter frame during assembly, for covering the central opening of the perimeter frame to encapsulate the bottom surface of the circuit board when assembled; and a USB connector, extending from the perimeter frame and electrically connected to the circuit board, having USB metal contacts for mating with corresponding USB metal contacts in a USB socket when the USB connector is inserted into the USB socket the USB connector being attached to the circuit board so that the USB metal contacts are electrically connected to the integrated circuit on the circuit board through the wiring traces on the circuit board; a plurality of dividers, substantially parallel to the USB metal contacts and formed between the USB metal contacts, each divider disposed between an adjacent pair of the USB metal contacts, the plurality of dividers rising above a level of the USB metal contacts when assembled; wherein the plurality of dividers are for filling in a gap between the USB connector and the USB socket when the USB connector is inserted into the USB socket, whereby the circuit board is encapsulated on the edges by the perimeter frame and is encapsulated on a top by the upper cover and on a bottom by the lower cover that attach to the perimeter frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A portable Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) framed assembly comprising:
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a circuit board having wiring traces and electronic components mounted thereon, the circuit board having a contact side; a perimeter frame that surrounds the circuit board, the perimeter frame being an open ring shape or a closed ring shape; an upper cover for substantially covering the contact side of the circuit board when assembled to the perimeter frame; a lower cover for substantially covering a reverse side opposite the contact side of the circuit board when assembled to the perimeter frame; a USB connector mounted to an end of the circuit board, the USB connector protruding through the perimeter frame, the USB connector having a connector substrate having four metal contacts on an insertion end, the four metal contacts for connecting to USB contacts in a USB socket when inserted; and dividers between and parallel to the four metal contacts on the USB connector, the dividers rising above a level of the four metal contacts, whereby side edges the circuit board are enclosed by the perimeter frame, while the contact side of the circuit board is enclosed by the upper cover and the perimeter frame and the reverse side of the circuit board is enclosed by the lower cover and the perimeter frame. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A reduced-height Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) plug card comprising:
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circuit board means for supporting integrated circuits on a bottom side, having an insertion end for insertion into a USB socket, the insertion end extending beyond a center area of the circuit board means; metal contactor means, formed on the insertion end of a top side of the circuit board means, for making electrical contact with a USB socket when the insertion end is inserted into the USB socket; frame means for framing the center area of the circuit board means, the frame means substantially exposing the top side and the bottom side of the circuit board means when the circuit board means is fitted inside the frame means, but the insertion end of the circuit board means extending beyond the frame means; frame extension means, integral with and formed with the frame means, for supporting the insertion end of the circuit board means and exposing the metal contactor means; top cover means, formed from plastic or metal, for snapping to the frame means to partially encapsulate the top side of the circuit board means; bottom cover means, formed from plastic or metal, for snapping to the frame means to encapsulate the bottom side of the circuit board means; divider means, formed on the frame extension means between the metal contactor means, for dividing gaps between the insertion end of the USB plug card and the USB socket when inserted; and end means, on the frame extension means, for extending side edges of the frame extension means to fill in gaps to sides of the USB socket produced by lack of a surrounding wrap surrounding the frame extension means and the insertion end; whereby stability when inserted into the USB socket is increased by the divider means, the end means, and the frame extension means. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification