Press/push flash drive

• US 7,524,198 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Technology, Corporation
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, David, Ni, Jim Chin-Nan, Nan, Nan, Shen, Ming-Shiang, Lee, Charles Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/933,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20080280490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 439 66- 67, 439/76.1, 439/493, 439/357, 439/528, 361/737, 361/752, 361/740, 361/801
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1416 by checking the object accessibility, e.g. type of access defined by the memory independently of subject rights G06F12/1458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07354 by biometrically sensitive means, e.g. fingerprint sensitive fingerprint sensors in general G06V40/12; biometrically activated access control G07C9/25
• 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: G07C 9/257 electronically G07C9/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Briefly, an embodiment of the present invention includes a portable flash memory drive with a simplified mechanism, based upon the resilient properties of the material used to create the parts, for reliable extension and retraction of the device'"'"'s interface plug. The portable flash memory drive is comprised of a metal housing (or case), a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, PCB support, PCB assembly end cap, an upper, and lower housing, and in some embodiments a fingerprint sensor and/or key ring assembly. The press/push switch mechanism is located on either the side of the portable flash memory device, or the top; and relies upon the resilient properties of the material used to create the metal housing or end cap, to create a smooth, locking mechanism for the extension or retraction of the interface (i.e., USB or firewire) plug. The switching/locking mechanism relies upon grooves or notches within the material of the upper and/or lower housing for tracking and locking, coupled with protrusion tabs on the sliding components of the end cap or metal housing. Alternatively, in some embodiments of the present invention, a fingerprint sensor is also extended or retracted contemporaneously with the interface plug, and allows the end user to secure and unlock the data contained, in whole or in part, therein.

Claims

1. A press/push flash drive comprising:

a metal case with openings on two opposing ends, where one end assists interfacing the press/push flash drive with an electronic device, the metal case having a conformation of a substantially rectangular extrusion with a top surface, bottom surface, and two lateral sides, the top surface containing a press/push button and lock tabs;

a printed circuit board (PCB) support coupled to said opening of the metal case that helps interface the press/push flash drive with an electronic device, the PCB support secured to the metal case and located substantially within said opening;

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a set of interface pins located on one end of the PCBA, the PCBA located substantially inside the metal case, and said end of the PCBA with interface pins coupled to the PCB support;

an end cap coupled with said opening of the metal case without the PCB support coupled therein, the end cap being coupled to the PCBA within the metal case, and the end cap further securing the PCBA within the metal case;

an upper housing with a top surface and lateral sides descending from said top surface, a fingerprint area cutout substantially central to said top surface, a front opening located within one of said lateral sides, and deployed lock grooves and retracted lock grooves formed on the inside of the top surface, the deployed lock grooves located closer to the front opening than the retracted lock grooves; and

a lower housing with a bottom surface and lateral sides descending from said bottom surface, a front opening located within one of said lateral sides, the lower housing coupled with said upper housing, together the upper housing and lower housing thereby containing within, the metal case, the PCBA, the PCB support, and the end cap, with the front openings of the upper housing and lower housing aligned, forming an opening on one end of the coupled housings;

wherein pressing and pushing said press/push button of the metal case in the direction of the opening on one end of the housings extends a metal interface plug for interfacing the press/push flash drive with an electronic device and said lock tabs of the metal case become secured within said deployed lock grooves of the upper housing, and pressing and pushing said press/push button in the direction opposite of the opening on one end of the housings retracts the metal interface plug and said lock tabs of the metal case become secured within said retracted lock grooves of the upper housing.

2. The press/push flash drive of claim 1, wherein the metal interface plug extended by the movement of the press/push button is a metal USB plug.

3. The press/push flash drive of claim 2, wherein the metal case further includes slide-thru support tabs on said lateral sides.

4. The press/push flash drive of claim 2, wherein the metal case includes a finger print sensor cutout formed therein.

5. The press/push flash drive of claim 2, wherein the PCBA is comprised of chip on board (COB) or surface mount technology (SMT) electronic devices.

6. The press/push flash drive of claim 4, wherein a fingerprint sensor is included on the PCBA, the fingerprint sensor protruding through the fingerprint sensor cutout of the metal case, and accessible to the user through the fingerprint area cutout of the upper housing when the metal USB plug is extended, and hidden beneath the upper housing when the metal USB plug is retracted.

7. The press/push flash drive of claim 5, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using snap coupling tabs and snap coupling slots.

8. The press/push flash drive of claim 5, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using ultrasonic press method.

9. The press/push flash drive of claim 5, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using an epoxy.

10. The press/push flash drive of claim 4, wherein the upper and lower housings each have a pin hole formed within one of their complimentary lateral sides, within which a pin is coupled, and a keychain ring is thereby coupled to said pin.

11. A side-switching press/push flash drive comprising:

a metal case with openings on two opposing ends, where one end assists interfacing the press/push flash drive with an electronic device, the metal case having a conformation of a substantially rectangular extrusion with a top surface, bottom surface, and two lateral sides;

a printed circuit board (PCB) support coupled to said opening of the metal case that helps interface the press/push flash drive with an electronic device, the PCB support secured to the metal case and located substantially within said opening;

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a set of interface pins located on one end of the PCBA, the PCBA located substantially inside the metal case, and said end of the PCBA with interface pins coupled to the PCB support;

an end cap coupled with said opening of the metal case without the PCB support coupled therein, the end cap being coupled to the PCBA within the metal case and securing the PCBA within the metal case, the end cap further having an extension arm with one or more lock tabs and a side-switch located thereon;

an upper housing with a top surface and lateral sides descending from said top surface, a fingerprint area cutout substantially central to said top surface, a front opening located within one of said lateral sides, a slot cutout for said side-switch of said extension arm of the end cap in one of said lateral, a deployed lock groove, an intermediate groove, and a retracted lock groove formed on the inside of the top surface, the deployed lock groove located closer to the front opening than the retracted lock groove; and

a lower housing with a bottom surface and lateral sides descending from said bottom surface, a front opening located within one of said lateral sides, a slot cutout for said side-switch of said extension arm of the end cap in one of said lateral sides, the lower housing coupled with said upper housing, together the upper housing and lower housing thereby containing within, the metal case, the PCBA, the PCB support, and the end cap, with the front openings of the upper housing and lower housing aligned, forming an interface opening on one end of the coupled housings;

wherein pressing and pushing said side-switch button of the end cap in the direction of said interface opening extends a metal interface plug for interfacing the press/push flash drive with an electronic device and said one or more lock tabs of the end cap become secured within said deployed lock groove of the upper housing, and pressing and pushing said side-switch in the direction opposite of said interface opening retracts the metal interface plug and said lock tabs of the end cap become secured within said retracted lock groove of the upper housing.

12. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 11, wherein a deployed lock groove, an intermediate groove, and a retracted lock groove are also formed on the inside of the bottom surface of the lower housing, and the deployed lock groove, intermediate groove, and retracted lock groove of the lower housing mirror the deployed lock groove, intermediate groove, and retracted lock groove of the upper housing, respectively, wherein lock tabs on the extension arm of the end cap interface with the deployed lock grooves, intermediate grooves, and retracted lock grooves of both the upper and lower housings when the metal interface plug is extended and retracted by press and pushing the side-switch of the end cap.

13. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 12, wherein the metal interface plug extended by the movement of the press/push button is a metal USB plug.

14. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 12, wherein the metal case further includes slide-thru support tabs on said lateral sides.

15. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 12, wherein the metal case includes a finger print sensor cutout formed therein.

16. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 12, wherein the PCBA is comprised of chip on board (COB) or surface mount technology (SMT) electronic devices.

17. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 15, wherein a fingerprint sensor is included on the PCBA, the fingerprint sensor protruding through the fingerprint sensor cutout of the metal case, and accessible to the user through the fingerprint area cutout of the upper housing when the metal USB plug is extended, and hidden beneath the upper housing when the metal USB plug is retracted.

18. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using snap coupling tabs and snap coupling slots.

19. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using ultrasonic press method.

20. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower housings are comprised substantially of a resilient plastic, and are coupled to each other using an epoxy.

21. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 15, wherein said extension arm of the end cap has two lock tabs, the lock tabs protruding substantially in the direction of 180-degrees from each other each other and perpendicular to the top surface of the upper housing and the bottom surface of the bottom housing.

22. The side-switching press/push flash drive of claim 14, wherein the upper and lower housings each have a pin hole formed within one of their complimentary lateral sides, within which a pin is coupled, and a keychain ring is thereby coupled to said pin.