Two step molding process secured digital card manufacturing method and apparatus

• US 7,795,714 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Super Talent Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Supertalent Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Hiew, Siew Sin, Nan, Nan, Hsueh, Paul, Ma, Abraham Chih-Kang
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Luan C
• Application Number:
  US11/744,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20080011860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 257/678, 257/679, 361/737, 235/492
• US Class Current: 257/679
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07724 the record carrier being at least partially made by a molding process molding in general B29C45/14
• 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: G11C 2029/4402 Internal storage of test result, quality data, chip identification, repair information
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5388 for flat cards, e.g. credit cards cards per se G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/50 Multistep manufacturing processes of assemblies consisting of devices, each device being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00 or H01L29/00 H01L21/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0909 Preformed cutting or breaking line
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10446 Mounted on an edge
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1316 Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0052 Depaneling, i.e. dividing a panel into circuit boards; Working of the edges of circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A molded secured digital (SD) card having a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The molded SD card further having a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned in said cavity, one of said plurality of lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having a notch recess, said molded SD card further having a male guide insertably positioned into said notch recess, said molded SD card further having a female switch clamped onto said male guide to form a write-protect switch.

Claims

1. A molded secured digital (SD) card comprising:

a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned in said cavity, one of said plurality of lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having a notch recess, said molded SD card further having a male guide insertably positioned into said notch recess, said molded SD card further having a female switch clamped onto said male guide to form a write-protect switch.

2. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 1 wherein said bottom plastic piece molded to form said cavity, one of said lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having an upper lid, one end of said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly inserted under said upper lid to position said PCB assembly inside said cavity, said upper lid giving said bottom plastic piece a shoe shaped appearance, said cavity made to conform to Super Talent Technologies (STT) unique designs and standard memory card dimension and specification.

3. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 2 wherein said notch recess formed on one of said plurality of lateral sides in a molding process to have said female switch insertably positioned therein, said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly fitted into said cavity to form a subassembly.

4. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 3 further having a top cover positioned on top of said subassembly, said subassembly and said top cover being molded to cross link said bottom plastic piece with said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, said subassembly and said top cover molded at a substantially high glass transition temperature for cross linking said bottom plastic piece and the molding plastic material.

5. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 3 wherein said subassembly being placed in a molding machine for plastic to be injected in said molding machine to form a top cover, said subassembly molded at a substantially high glass transition temperature to develop cross linking between said bottom plastic piece and the molding plastic material.

6. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 4 wherein a plurality of devices being disposed on the surface of said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, said plurality of devices including a flash memory unit and a controller, said plurality of devices further including discrete components, said flash memory unit storing information in said molded SD card.

7. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 6 wherein said male guide being a bar, said female switch sliding over said male guide to acquire two positions the first of which for allowing information to be written unto said memory unit of said molded SD card and the second of said positions for preventing information to be written unto said memory unit.

8. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 6 wherein said top surface of said top cover making an interface with the top surface of said plurality of lateral sides, said molded SD card further having a label attached to the top surface of said top cover to cover said interface for enhancing the esthetic quality of said molded SD card.

14. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 8 wherein said label being attached to said top surface of said top cover to protect said plurality of devices by enhancing moisture and water resistance of said molded SD card.

9. A molded secured digital (SD) card comprising:

a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned inside said cavity, one of said plurality of lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having a female slot, said molded SD card further having a male switch insertably positioned into said female slot to form a write-protect switch.

10. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 9 wherein said female slot formed on one of said plurality of lateral sides in a molding process, said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly fitted into said cavity to form a subassembly.

11. A molded secured digital (SD) card comprising:

a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides; and

a printed circuit bard (PCB) assembly positioned inside said cavity, said molded SD card further including a top cover having a top surface, said top cover positioned on top of said PCB assembly, said top surface of said top cover making an interface with the top surface of said plurality of lateral sides, said molded SD card further having a label attached to said top surface of said top cover to cover said interface for enhancing the esthetic value of said molded SD card.

12. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 11 wherein one or more said plurality of lateral sides having side ribs formed in a molding process, said side ribs for reducing slippage and enhancing esthetic value of said molded SD card.

13. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 11 wherein one or more of said plurality of lateral sides having protruded parts to give a shark head appearance to said molded SD card.

15. A molded secured digital (SD)card as recited in claim 11 wherein a plurality of devices being disposed on the surface of said printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, said plurality of devices including a flash memory unit and a controller, said plurality of devices further including discrete components, said flash memory unit storing information in said molded SD card.

16. A molded secured digital (SD) card as recited in claim 15 wherein said label being attached to said top surface of said top cover to protect said plurality of devices by enhancing moisture and water resistance of said molded SD card.

17. A molded secured digital (SD) card comprising:

means for forming a cavity interposed along a plurality of lateral sides of a bottom plastic piece by a molding process;

means for positioning a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly inside the cavity;

means for positioning a top cover having a top surface on top of the PCB assembly; and

means for attaching a label to the top surface of the top cover to cover the interface between the top surface of the top cover and the top surface of the plurality of lateral sides.