MLC COB USB flash memory device with sliding plug connector

• US 7,771,215 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nguyen, David, Ni, Jim Chin-Nan, Shen, Ming-Shiang, Ma, Abraham C., Lee, Charles C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta; Tho D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US12/171,194
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/528
• US Class Current: 439/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• 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

Abstract

Briefly, a portable USB flash memory device is disclosed to include a Chip-On-Board COB Printed Circuit Board Assembly PCBA inside. The flash memory device is enclosed inside a housing structure with a sliding button to deploy the USB plug connector external to the housing structure. The flash memory device with Multi-Level-Cell MLC compatible is being able to connect to a host with a Universal Serial Bus USB interface.

Claims

1. A portable flash memory device, comprising:

a housing having a top cover and a bottom cover, wherein the top cover includes a top opening disposed thereon; and

a core unit having a universal serial bus (USB) plug connector coupled to one or more multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory devices and an MLC flash controller disposed therein, the MLC flash controller controlling the one or more MLC flash memory devices and the USB plug connector providing an interface for accessing the one or more MLC flash memory devices, wherein the core unit includes

a chip-on-bard (COB) package having the MLC flash memory devices and MLC flash controller embedded therein,

a COB carrier having a COB compartment for storing the COB package therein, wherein the COB carrier includes a top surface having a slide button disposed thereon, and

a metal cover to allow a frontend of the COB carrier having USB compatible electrical contact pins disposed therein, wherein the frontend of the COB carrier slides into the metal cover to form the USB plug connector,

wherein the housing is configured to enclose, using the top cover and the bottom cover, the core unit by exposing the slide button through the top opening of the housing, wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding forward within the top opening of the housing, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be deployed external to the housing through a front opening of the housing, and wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding backward within the top opening of the housing, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be retracted into the housing through the front opening of the housing.

2. The portable flash memory device of claim 1, wherein the COB carrier further comprises a flexible section made of elastic material to form a top surface of the COB carrier having the slide button disposed thereon, wherein when the COB carrier slides into the housing, the flexible section pushes the slide button upwardly through the top opening of the housing to allow the slide button to be pushed sliding back and forth.

3. The portable flash memory device of claim 2, wherein the top cover of the housing further comprises deploy lock grooves and retract lock grooves disposed on an inner wall of the top cover, wherein the flexible section of the COB carrier comprises lock tabs, wherein when the USB plug connector is deployed by sliding the core unit forwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the deploy lock grooves of the top cover to lock the core unit in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug connector is retracted by sliding the core unit backwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the retract lock grooves of the top cover to lock the core unit in a retracted position.

4. The portable flash memory device of claim 3, wherein the COB carrier further comprises slide rails disposed on a bottom surface of the COB carrier, wherein the bottom cover of the housing further comprises slide tracks disposed on an inner wall of the bottom cover corresponding to the slide rails of the COB carrier to allow the COB carrier to slide within the housing in a smooth manner.

5. The portable flash memory device of claim 4, wherein the top cover further comprises a front cutout, one or more tabs, and an optional key chain cutout, wherein the bottom cover further comprises a front cutout, one or more tabs, and an optional key chain cutout, and wherein the top and bottom covers are snapped together through the corresponding one or more tabs, wherein the front cutouts of the top and bottom covers form the frontend opening of the housing and the optional key chain cutouts of the top and bottom covers form an optional key chain hook.

6. The portable flash memory device of claim 4, wherein the housing further comprises a frame sandwiched by the top cover and the bottom cover to enclose the core unit, wherein the frame includes a frontend and a backend, the frontend including the frontend opening to deploy and retract the USB plug connector therethrough, wherein the frame further includes an optional keychain hook disposed near a corner of the backend to allow the portable flash memory device to be hooked with a key chain.

7. The portable flash memory device of claim 6, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover of the housing further comprise one or more hooks respectively disposed on inner walls of the top and bottom covers which can be snapped to engage with corresponding slots disposed on side walls of the frame to form the enclosed housing.

8. The portable flash memory device of claim 7, wherein the flexible section of the COB carrier further comprises a lock tab, one for each side, wherein when the COB carrier slides into the metal cover, the lock tabs are snapped into corresponding inner tabs of the metal cover to secure the COB carrier therein.

9. A portable flash memory device, comprising:

a housing having a top cover, a bottom cover, and a frame sandwiched between the top cover and the bottom cover, wherein the frame includes a side opening and a front opening; and

a core unit having a universal serial bus (USB) plug connector coupled to one or more multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory devices and an MLC flash controller disposed therein, the MLC flash controller controlling the one or more MLC flash memory devices and the USB plug connector providing an interface for accessing the one or more MLC flash memory devices, wherein the core unit includes

a chip-on-bard (COB) package having the MLC flash memory devices and MLC flash controller embedded therein,

a COB carrier having a COB compartment for storing the COB package therein, wherein the COB carrier includes a side surface having a slide button disposed thereon, and

a metal cover to allow a frontend of the COB carrier having USB compatible electrical contact pins disposed therein, wherein the frontend of the COB carrier slides into the metal cover to form the USB plug connector,

wherein the housing is configured to enclose, using the top cover and the bottom cover, sandwiching the frame having the core unit deposited therein by exposing the slide button through the side opening of the frame, wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding forward within the side opening of the frame, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be deployed external to the housing through a front opening of the frame, and wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding backward within the side opening of the frame, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be retracted into the housing through the front opening of the frame.

10. The portable flash memory device of claim 9, wherein the COB carrier further comprises a flexible section made of elastic material to form a side surface of the COB carrier having the slide button disposed thereon, wherein when the COB carrier slides into the housing, the flexible section pushes the slide button outwardly through the side opening of the frame to allow the slide button to be pushed sliding back and forth.

11. The portable flash memory device of claim 10, wherein the top and bottom cover of the housing further comprises a deploy lock groove and a retract lock groove disposed on an inner wall of the top and bottom cover, wherein the flexible section of the COB carrier comprises lock tabs, wherein when the USB plug connector is deployed by sliding the core unit forwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the deploy lock groove of the top and bottom cover to lock the core unit in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug connector is retracted by sliding the core unit backwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the retract lock groove of the top and bottom cover to lock the core unit in a retracted position.

12. The portable flash memory device of claim 11, wherein the COB carrier further comprises slide rails respectively disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the COB carrier, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover of the housing further comprise slide tracks respectively disposed on an inner wall of the top and bottom covers corresponding to the slide rails of the COB carrier to allow the COB carrier to slide within the housing in a smooth manner.

13. The portable flash memory device of claim 12, wherein the top cover and the bottom cover of the housing further comprise one or more hooks respectively disposed on inner walls of the top and bottom covers which can be snapped to engage with corresponding slots disposed on side walls of the frame to form the enclosed housing.

14. The portable flash memory device of claim 13, wherein the flexible section of the COB carrier further comprises a lock tab disposed on the top surface of the COB carrier, wherein when the COB carrier slides into the metal cover, the lock tab of the top surface is snapped into a corresponding inner tab of the metal cover to secure the COB carrier therein.

15. The portable flash memory device of claim 12, wherein the top cover further comprises a front cutout, a side cutout, and an optional key chain cutout, wherein the bottom cover further comprises a front cutout, a side cutout, and an optional key chain cutout, and wherein the top and bottom covers are attached together through a snap-together or an ultrasonic method, wherein the front cutouts of the top and bottom covers form the frontend opening of the housing, wherein the side cutouts of the top and bottom covers form the side opening, and wherein the optional key chain cutouts of the top and bottom covers form an optional key chain hook.

16. The portable flash memory device of claim 15, further comprising a U-shape shell covering the housing without covering the side opening, wherein a silkscreen artwork can be printed on the U-shape shell.

17. A portable flash memory device, comprising:

a housing having a top cover, a bottom cover, and a frame sandwiched between the top cover and the bottom cover, wherein the top cover includes a top opening and the frame includes a side opening; and

a core unit having a universal serial bus (USB) plug connector coupled to one or more multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory devices and an MLC flash controller disposed therein, the MLC flash controller controlling the one or more MLC flash memory devices and the USB plug connector providing an interface for accessing the one or more MLC flash memory devices, wherein the core unit includes

a chip-on-bard (COB) package having the MLC flash memory devices and MLC flash controller embedded therein,

an end cap having a COB compartment for storing the COB package therein,

a metal cover to allow a frontend of the end cap having USB compatible electrical contact pins disposed therein, wherein the frontend of the COB package slides into the metal cover to form the USB plug connector,

a COB carrier having a top COB carrier and a bottom COB carrier to sandwich the metal cover having the end cap with the COB package deposited therein, wherein the top COB carrier further includes a slide button disposed on thereon,

wherein the housing is configured to enclose, using the top cover and the bottom cover, sandwiching the frame having the core unit deposited therein by exposing the slide button through the top opening of the top cover, wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding forward within the top opening of the top cover, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be deployed external to the housing through a front opening of the frame, and wherein the slide button, when being pushed sliding backward within the top opening of the top cover, causes the USB plug connector of the core unit to be retracted into the housing through the front opening of the frame.

18. The portable flash memory device of claim 17, wherein the top COB carrier further comprises a flexible section made of elastic material to form a top surface of the COB carrier having the slide button disposed thereon, wherein when the COB carrier slides into the housing, the flexible section pushes the slide button upwardly through the top opening of the top cover to allow the slide button to be pushed sliding back and forth.

19. The portable flash memory device of claim 18, wherein the top cover of the housing further comprises deploy lock grooves and a retract lock grooves disposed on an inner wall of the top cover, wherein the flexible section of the COB carrier comprises lock tabs, wherein when the USB plug connector is deployed by sliding the core unit forwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the deploy lock grooves of the top cover to lock the core unit in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug connector is retracted by sliding the core unit backwardly, the lock tabs of the flexible section are engaged with the retract lock groove of the top cover to lock the core unit in a retracted position.

20. The portable flash memory device of claim 19, wherein the COB carrier further comprises slide rails disposed on a bottom surface of the bottom COB carrier, wherein the bottom cover of the housing further comprises slide tracks disposed on an inner wall of the bottom cover corresponding to the slide rails of the COB carrier to allow the COB carrier to slide within the housing in a smooth manner.