Credit-card-sized carrier of both standard and micro form-factor flash-memory cards

• US 9,033,143 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kingston Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Tang, Choon Tak, Shiu, George K. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PERREAULT, ANDREW D
• Application Number:
  US12/824,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20100258459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 206/701, 206/477, 206/478, 206/480, 206/482, 206/493, 206/706, 206/707, 206/307.1, 206/307, 211/41.12
• US Class Current: 206/307.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/18 Ticket-holders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/182 Credit card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/188 Media card holders, e.g. memory cards, SIM cards

Abstract

A multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier is about the same size as a thick credit card and fits into a wallet. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier has bays that accept flash-memory cards. Larger bays on one side receive SD cards and a Memory Stick Duo card, while micro bays on another side of the carrier receive microSD cards and Memory Stick Micro cards. A carrier spine sandwiched between top and bottom covers has openings forming the bays. Spring-clip tabs on spring-clip fingers fit into notches on the side of the flash-memory cards to secure the flash-memory cards into the multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier to prevent loss. The spring-clip fingers are movable parts of the carrier spine that are deformed during insertion of the flash-memory cards. Both micro and standard flash-memory cards can be carried in the same multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier that can be placed in plastic sleeves for credit cards in a person'"'"'s wallet.

Claims

1. A multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier comprising:

a top cover;

a bottom cover;

a carrier spine, situated between the top cover and the bottom cover;

a first and a second set of openings formed on one side of the carrier spine and a third set of openings and a single opening formed on an opposite side of the carrier spine, wherein the first and the second set of openings are adjacent to each other and the third set of openings and the single opening are adjacent to each other, wherein each of the three sets of openings and the single opening is different in size and shape to receive four different types of flash memory cards;

a first set of deformable spring-clip fingers formed within the first set of openings, wherein each of the first set of deformable spring-clip fingers includes a first type of spring-clip tab to secure a first type of micro flash card;

a second set of deformable spring-clip fingers formed within the second set of openings, wherein each of the second set of deformable spring-clip fingers includes a second type of spring-clip tab to secure a second type of micro flash card;

a first deformable spring side formed around a first oval cavity on the opposite side of the carrier spine and within one of the third set of openings, wherein the first deformable spring side includes a first type of spring side tab to secure a third type of larger flash card; and

a second deformable spring side formed around a second oval cavity on the opposite side of the carrier spine, wherein the second deformable spring side includes the first type of spring side tab on a first side that is within another of the third set of openings and a second type of spring side tab on a second side that is within the single opening to secure both the third type of larger flash card on the first side and a fourth type of larger flash card on the second side, wherein the first and the second side are on opposite sides of the second deformable spring side.

2. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the first and the second set of deformable spring-clip fingers secure the first and the second type of micro flash cards via the first and the second type spring-clip tabs that are inserted into notches of the first and the second type of micro flash cards once the first and the second type of micro flash cards are fully inserted into the one side of the carrier spine.

3. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 2, wherein the first and the second set of deformable spring-clip fingers are deformed away from the first and the second set of openings by the first and the second type of micro flash cards during insertion.

4. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 2, wherein the first and the second deformable spring sides secure the third and the fourth type of larger flash cards via the first and the second deformable spring sides that are inserted into notches of the third and the fourth type of larger flash cards once the third and the fourth larger flash cards are fully inserted into the opposite side of the carrier spine.

5. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 4, wherein the first and the second set of deformable spring sides are deformed inward thereby reducing a size of the first and the second oval cavities during insertion of third and the fourth type of larger flash cards.

6. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 2, further comprising:

micro gripping cutouts formed on the bottom cover and on the top cover near the first and the second set of openings to allow a person to grip the first and the second type of micro flash cards for removal from the multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier.

7. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the first type of micro flash card comprises a micro-SecureDigital (microSD) card, wherein the first set of openings are each sized with a microSD bay to receive the microSD card.

8. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the second type of micro flash card comprises a Memory Stick Micro card, wherein the second set of openings are each sized with a Memory Stick Micro (M2) bay to receive the Memory Stick Micro card.

9. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the third type of larger flash card comprises a SD card, wherein the third set of openings are each sized with a SD card bay to receive the SD card.

10. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the fourth type of larger flash card comprises a Memory Stick, wherein the single opening is sized with a Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo bay to receive the Memory Stick.

11. The multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier of claim 1, wherein the first and the second set of openings and the third set of openings and the single opening are formed on opposite sides of the multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier.