Pen-like universal serial bus (USB) flash drive with deploying and retracting functionalities
First Claim
1. A universal serial bus (USB) flash drive pen device, comprising:
- a USB plug assembly having a flash controller and a flash memory device;
a pusher assembly including a rotator having one or more tabs disposed thereon; and
a housing for housing at least a portion of the USB plug assembly and the pusher assembly, the housing having a tunnel and an inner tube extended from the tunnel disposed within the housing, wherein an intersection between the tunnel and the inner tube includes one or more angled corners,wherein when the USB plug assembly is deployed, the pusher assembly is pushed from a back end of the housing to deploy the USB plug assembly through a front end of the housing, wherein the rotator travels forward through the tunnel into the inner tube until tips of the one or more tabs of the rotator past the intersection of the tunnel and inner tube upon which, the tips of the one or more tabs of the rotator are interlocked with the angled corners of the intersection to maintain the USB plug assembly in a deployed position, andwherein when the USB plug assembly is retracted by pressing the pusher assembly again, the rotator rotates causing the tips of the tabs of the rotator to be unlocked from the angled corners of the intersection upon which, the rotator travels backward from the inner tube through the tunnel towards the back end of the housing, which in turn retracts the USB plug assembly into the housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments of a USB drive pen device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a USB drive pen device includes a USB plug assembly having a flash controller and a flash memory device, a pusher assembly including a rotator having one or more tabs disposed thereon, and a housing for housing at least a portion of the USB plug assembly and the pusher assembly. The housing includes a tunnel and an inner tube extended from the tunnel disposed within the housing. An intersection between the tunnel and inner tube includes one or more angled corners to lock the USB plug assembly in either a deployed position or a retracted position. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
60 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A universal serial bus (USB) flash drive pen device, comprising:
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a USB plug assembly having a flash controller and a flash memory device; a pusher assembly including a rotator having one or more tabs disposed thereon; and a housing for housing at least a portion of the USB plug assembly and the pusher assembly, the housing having a tunnel and an inner tube extended from the tunnel disposed within the housing, wherein an intersection between the tunnel and the inner tube includes one or more angled corners, wherein when the USB plug assembly is deployed, the pusher assembly is pushed from a back end of the housing to deploy the USB plug assembly through a front end of the housing, wherein the rotator travels forward through the tunnel into the inner tube until tips of the one or more tabs of the rotator past the intersection of the tunnel and inner tube upon which, the tips of the one or more tabs of the rotator are interlocked with the angled corners of the intersection to maintain the USB plug assembly in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug assembly is retracted by pressing the pusher assembly again, the rotator rotates causing the tips of the tabs of the rotator to be unlocked from the angled corners of the intersection upon which, the rotator travels backward from the inner tube through the tunnel towards the back end of the housing, which in turn retracts the USB plug assembly into the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A universal serial bus (USB) flash drive pen device, comprising:
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a USB plug assembly having a flash controller and a flash memory device; a pusher assembly including a block having a tab disposed thereon; and a housing for housing at least a portion of the USB plug assembly and the pusher assembly, the housing having a chamber disposed on an inner wall of the housing, and the chamber having a deployed angled corner and a retracted angled corner disposed therein, wherein when the USB plug assembly is deployed, the block is pushed forward through the chamber, which in turn pushes the USB plug assembly to be deployed through a front end of the housing, wherein the tab of the block is interlocked with the deployed angled corner of the chamber to maintain the USB plug assembly in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug assembly is retracted, the tab of the block is unlocked from the deployed angled corner and pushed backward towards to the back end of the housing which in turn retracts the USB plug assembly into the housing, wherein the tab of the block is interlocked with a retracted angled corner of the chamber to maintain the USB plug assembly in a retracted position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A universal serial bus (USB) flash drive pen device, comprising:
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a USB plug assembly having a flash controller and a flash memory device; an end cap for holding the USB plug assembly, the end cap including a pusher segment and a support segment extended from the pusher segment, wherein the USB plug assembly is securely disposed on the support segment; a spring clip having a center ring, a first arm extended from the center ring, and a second arm extended from the center ring, the first arm ended with an end tip and the second arm ended with a front tip; and a housing for housing at least a portion of the USB plug assembly and the end cap, the housing having one or more tracks to form a deployed path, a retracted path, and a lock groove therein, wherein when the USB plug assembly is deployed, the pusher segment of the end cap is pushed forward causing the front tip of the spring clip traveling forward within the deployed path to deploy the USB plug assembly through a front end of the housing while the end tip is secured on a surface of the end cap, wherein the front tip of the spring clip is interlocked with the lock groove to maintain the USB plug assembly in a deployed position, and wherein when the USB plug assembly is retracted, the pusher segment of the end cap is pushed again causing the front tip of the spring clip traveling backward within the retracted path while the end tip is secured on the surface of the end cap to retract the USB plug assembly from the front end of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification