Universal-serial-bus (USB) flash-memory device with metal wrap formed over plastic housing

• US 7,297,024 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Technology, Corporation
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Ni, Jim Chin-Nan, Chiou, Ren-Kang
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/907,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 439607-610, 439/76.1, 439/79, 361/737, 361/752, 361/785, 361/756
• US Class Current: 439/607.23
• 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: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0278 of USB type details relating to connectors H01R27/00

Abstract

A metal-wrapped flash-memory-drive device has an integrated slim Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector that fits into a standard USB socket. The slim USB connector has 4 metal contacts on a circuit board that is encapsulated by a plastic case. Components are mounted onto the circuit board. A metal wrap conforms to the general shape of a plastic sub-assembly of the plastic case and a plastic cover that enclose the circuit board. The metal wrap can be bent around the plastic sub-assembly in a forming process, or can be pre-formed into a metal tube that the plastic sub-assembly is inserted into. Alignment holes in the metal wrap can fit over plastic stubs on the plastic sub-assembly, or friction can hold the metal wrap to the plastic sub-assembly. The plastic cover and case can be bonded together by molding, ultrasonically, with adhesive films, or using snaps to form the plastic sub-assembly.

Claims

1. A Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) flash-memory device comprising:

a printed circuit board assembly including an elongated printed circuit board (PCB) having an insertion end and a rear end opposite to the insertion end, metal contacts disposed on a top surface of the PCB in a contact region located adjacent to the insertion end, and at least one integrated circuit electrically connected to and mounted on the PCB adjacent to the rear end;

a plastic housing having a front portion and a rear portion, a flat bottom wall that extends under both the front and rear portions, a flat top wall that extends only over the rear portion, rear side wall portions extending upward from the bottom wall to the top wall in the rear portion, and front side wall portions and a front wall portion extending upward from the bottom wall in the front portion, wherein the front side wall portions and the front wall portion are shorter than the rear wall portions; and

a metal wrap having a flat lower metal sheet, flat side metal sheets respectively connected at opposite sides of the lower metal sheet and extending substantially perpendicular to the lower metal sheet, and a flat upper metal sheet attached to upper ends of the side metal sheets, whereby the metal wrap defines an elongated interior region having a substantially rectangular cross-section, and front edges of the lower, side and upper metal sheets collectively define a front opening,

wherein the printed circuit board assembly is substantially encapsulated inside the plastic housing such that the rear end is enclosed by the rear portion of the plastic housing, and a bottom surface of the PCB adjacent to the insertion end is covered by the front portion of the plastic housing, wherein only the contact region of the top surface of the PCB is exposed outside the plastic housing, and

wherein the plastic housing is slidably inserted inside the metal wrap such that, when both the rear portion and the front portion of the plastic housing are located inside the interior region of the metal wrap, the bottom, side and top walls of the plastic housing respectively contact the lower, side and upper metal sheets of the metal wrap, and

wherein the device further comprises means for securing the plastic housing to the metal wrap when the front wall of the plastic housing is aligned with the front opening of the metal wrap.

2. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein a front edge of the metal wrap defines an opening that conforms with the height and width of a standard USB male connector.

3. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein said means for securing comprises:

one or more stubs protruding from at least one of the bottom and top walls of the plastic housing,

one or more alignment holes defined in at least one of the bottom and top metal sheets of the metal wrap,

wherein the plastic housing has a thickness that is sized relative to a height of the interior region of the metal wrap and said one or more stubs and one or more alignment holes are positioned such each of said one or more stubs protrudes into a corresponding one of said one or more alignment holes when the front wall of the plastic housing is aligned with the front opening of the metal wrap.

4. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the metal wrap comprises a flat metal sheet that is bent around the plastic housing to conform the metal wrap to a shape of the plastic housing.

5. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the metal wrap has the first width for an entire length of the substrate board, wherein the metal wrap has a constant width that is substantially determined by the integrated slim Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector.

6. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the plastic housing comprises molded plastic disposed around the PCB.

7. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the plastic housing comprises a case having means for receiving the rear end of the PCB, and a cover that is secured to the case by one of an adhesive, snap fasteners, and a thermal bond film.

8. The USE flash-memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the printed circuit board assembly further comprises a light-emitting diode disposed on the rear end of the PCB,

wherein the plastic housing includes a rear wall defining light window that is disposed adjacent to the light-emitting diode,

wherein the rear edges of the lower, side and upper metal sheets collectively define a rear opening of the metal wrap, and

wherein the plastic housing is disposed in the metal wrap such that the light window is visible through the rear opening of the metal wrap.

9. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1,

wherein the rear edges of the lower, side and upper metal sheets collectively define a rear opening of the metal wrap, and

wherein the device further comprises an end cap mounted to the metal wrap such that the end cap covers the rear opening.

10. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the metal wrap further comprises a rear metal sheet connected to rear edges of the lower, side and upper metal sheets.

11. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one integrated circuit comprises a non-volatile memory device.

12. The USB flash-memory device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one integrated circuit further comprises a controller device.