Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080212297 | Flash Memory Device Assembly Using Adhesive - A flash memory device includes one or two panels that are attached solely by a thermal bond adhesive to either a frame or integrated circuits (e.g., flash memory devices) disposed on a PCBA. The frame is disposed around the PCBA and supports peripheral edges of the panels. The thermal bond adhesive is either heat-activated or heat-cured, and is applied to either the memory devices, the frame or the panels, and then compressed between the panels and flash memory devices/frame using a fixture. The fixture is then passed through an oven to activate/cure the adhesive. An optional insulating layer is disposed between the panels and the ICs. An optional conforming coating layer is formed over the ICs for preventing oxidation of integrated circuit leads or soldering area, covering or protecting extreme temperature exposure either cold or hot, and waterproofing for certain military or industrial applications. | 09-04-2008 |
20080218799 | Extended COB-USB With Dual-Personality Contacts - A dual-personality extended USB (EUSB) system supports both USB and EUSB memory cards using an extended 9-pin EUSB socket. Each EUSB memory card includes a PCBA having four standard USB metal contact pads disposed on an upper side of a PCB, and several extended purpose contact springs that extend through openings defined in the PCB. Passive components are mounted on a lower surface of the PCB using SMT methods, and IC dies are mounted using COB methods, and then the components and IC dies are covered by a plastic molded housing. The extended 9-pin EUSB socket includes standard USB contacts and extended use contacts that communicate with the PCBA through the standard USB metal contacts and the contact springs. The PCBA includes dual-personality electronics for USB and EUSB communications. | 09-11-2008 |
20080276099 | Universal Serial Bus (USB) Flash Drive Having Locking Pins and Locking Grooves for Locking Swivel Cap - In one embodiment of the present invention a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive with locking swivel cap includes a USB device, a swivel cap having a top swivel cap face and a bottom swivel cap face. The swivel cap is connectably attached to the USB device, four locking pins, two of which disposed on the top swivel cap face and two of which disposed on the bottom swivel cap face, two top locking grooves disposed on a top surface of the USB device, and two bottom locking grooves disposed on a bottom surface of the USB device, wherein the locking pins disposed on top swivel cap face coupled with the two top locking grooves and the locking pins disposed on the bottom swivel cap face couple with the two bottom locking grooves allowing the swivel cap to lock in fully open (180 degrees) and fully closed (0 degree). A USB connector is connected to the USB device to couple the USB flash drive to a host device. A fingerprint sensor area is disposed on the top side of the USB device, the fingerprint sensor scans fingerprints of a user of the portable flash drive with swivel cap and optional fingerprint verification capability, and allowing access to data stored on the portable flash drive with swivel cap and optional fingerprint verification capability. | 11-06-2008 |
20080280490 | Press/Push Universal Serial Bus (USB) Flash Drive with Deploying and Retracting Functionalities with Elasticity Material and Fingerprint Verification Capability - 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. | 11-13-2008 |
20080286990 | Direct Package Mold Process For Single Chip SD Flash Cards - A Secure Digital device including a PCBA having passive components mounted on a PCB using surface mount technology (SMT) techniques, and active components (e.g., controller and flash memory) mounted using chip-on-board (COB) techniques. The components are mounted only on one side of the PCB, and then a molded plastic casing is formed over both sides of the PCB such that the components are encased in the plastic, and a thin plastic layer is formed over the PCB surface opposite to the components. The molded plastic casing is formed to include openings that expose metal contacts provided on the PCB, and ribs that separate the openings. In one embodiment the metal contacts are formed on the same side as the thin plastic layer, and in an alternate embodiment the metal contacts are formed on a block that is mounted on the PCB during the SMT process. | 11-20-2008 |
20090093136 | Single Shot Molding Method For COB USB/EUSB Devices With Contact Pad Ribs - A dual-personality extended USB (EUSB) system supports both USB and EUSB memory cards using an extended 9-pin EUSB socket. Each EUSB device 101 includes a PCBA having four standard USB metal contact pads disposed on an upper side of a PCB, and several extended purpose contact springs that extend through openings defined in the PCB. A single-shot molding process is used to form both an upper housing portion on the upper PCB surface that includes ribs extending between adjacent contact pads, and a lower molded housing portion that is formed over passive components and IC dies disposed on the lower PCB surface. The passive components are mounted using SMT methods, and the IC dies are mounted using COB methods. The extended 9-pin EUSB socket includes standard USB contacts and extended use contacts that communicate with the PCBA through the standard USB metal contacts and the contact springs. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097215 | UV-EPOXY AND ULTRASONIC CASE ASSEMBLY METHODS FOR USB FLASH DRIVE - The present invention discloses UV-epoxy and ultrasonic case assembly methods for a USB flash drive, wherein a transparent or translucent top cover is fastened to a bottom cover containing a printed circuit board assembly via an UV-cure epoxy glue or an ultrasonic weld method. As the top cover of the USB flash drive is transparent or translucent, the USB flash drive has a see-through property and presents an aesthetic taste, which can attract the attention of consumers. Further, the method of the present invention uses less case parts and fewer steps and thus can fabricate a USB flash drive having a lower cost and a better quality at a higher throughput. Furthermore, the USB flash drive fabricated according to the method of the present invention has a better moisture resistance and a better water resistance. | 04-16-2009 |
20090177835 | Flash Drive With Spring-Loaded Retractable Connector - A pen-type computer peripheral device includes an elongated housing containing a PCBA having a plug connector. The PCBA is secured to a positioning member that is actuated by way of a press-push button that is exposed through a slot defined in a wall of the housing. A spring-loaded mechanism includes a spring and a locking mechanism that locks the connector in a retracted position and a deployed position, and the spring biases the connector from the retracted position to the deployed position, or vice versa. | 07-09-2009 |
20090190277 | ESD Protection For USB Memory Devices - ESD protection for a portable electronic device is provided by sandwiching a metal ground layer between prepreg (i.e., FR4 or other non-conductive PCB material) layers to form an ESD preventive PCB structure, where the metal ground layer is electrically connected to one or more of the integrated circuit (IC) components (e.g., at least one controller die, a non-volatile memory die, oscillator and passive components) that are mounted on the PCB by way of conductive via structures, and is accessible by way of one or more conductive anchor hole structures to external grounding structures. The one or more conductive anchor hole structures are positioned such that the metal ground layer is automatically electrically connected to the chassis ground of a host system when the portable device is coupled to a plug structure of the host system, e.g., by way of a metal connector jacket. | 07-30-2009 |
20090194616 | Sporoderm-Broken Polypore Production - A cryogenic grinding mill for grinding organic base material pieces into sub-micron-sized powder particles. An upper grinding block is rotated relative to a stationary lower grinding block by a motor, and is maintained at a temperature below −150° C. by a cryogenic system including an annular liquid nitrogen chamber disposed around the grinding blocks. The upper grinding block defines a trench for receiving base material pieces fed by a feed system, and includes through-holes that extend from the trench to a grinding region formed between the grinding surfaces of the upper and lower blocks. When the upper grinding block is rotated, the base material pieces are gravity-fed from the trench to the grinding region, and ground powder material is forced to a peripheral edge of the grinding region. The powder material is then filtered, and particles having an undesirably large size are fed back into the trench for re-grinding. | 08-06-2009 |
20090258516 | USB Device With Connected Cap - A USB device including a housing and a protective cap that are slidably and/or pivotably connected together such that the protective cap is able to slide and/or pivot between an open position, in which a plug connector extending from the front of the housing is exposed for operable coupling to a host system, and a closed position, in which the protective cap is disposed over the front end portion of the housing to protect the plug connector. A pivoting/sliding mechanism is provided on the housing and cap that secures the protective cap to the housing at all times, including during transitional movements of the protective cap between the opened and closed positions. | 10-15-2009 |
20090273096 | High Density Memory Device Manufacturing Using Isolated Step Pads - An electronic device includes multiple IC dies stacked in an offset stacking arrangement on a substrate. Each IC die includes electrically isolated step pads that facilitates transmitting a dedicated signal between a (beginning) substrate bonding pad and a selected (terminal) contact pad of any die by way of short bonding wires that extend up the stack between the electrically isolated step pads. A memory devices includes stacked memory IC die, wherein “shared” signal transmission paths are formed by associated bonding wires that link corresponding contact pads of each memory die, and dedicated select/control signals are transmitted to each memory die by separate transmission paths formed in part by associated electrically isolated step pads. Substrate space overhung by the stack is used for passive components and IC dies. Memory controller die may be mounted on the stack and connected by dedicated transmission paths utilizing the electrically isolated step pads. | 11-05-2009 |
20090316368 | USB Package With Bistable Sliding Mechanism - A USB device including a bistable mechanism that serves to bias a plug connector into one of two stable states, where the first stable state is associated with a retracted position in which the plug connector is fully retracted inside a housing, and the second stable state is associated with a deployed position in which the plug connector extends through the front opening for coupling to a host system. Movement of the plug connector form the retracted to the deployed position is performed by manually applying a force to a handle portion that protrudes through a slot defined in the housing. The bistable mechanism resists the deploying force until an equilibrium point is reach, after which the bistable mechanism releases stored potential energy to complete the deploying process and to maintain the plug connector is the deployed position. | 12-24-2009 |
20100105251 | Micro-SD To Secure Digital Adaptor Card And Manufacturing Method - A microSD-to-SD adaptor card includes a base substrate having a lead frame structure, a protective cap forming a chamber that encloses eight microSD contact pins of the lead frame structure, and a thermoset plastic casing formed over the protective cap and exposed portions of the base substrate to provide the adaptor card with standard SD card dimensions. A rear opening facilitates insertion of a standard microSD card, whereby the eight contact pads on the microSD card are contacted by the eight microSD contact pins inside the chamber to allow electrical signals generated by the microSD card to be transmitted to a host system by way of a standard SD socket. A grip anchor pin is disposed inside the chamber to engage a grip notch disposed on the microSD card. A pre-molded switch slot is provided on the molded plastic casing, and an insert-in write protect switch is mounted after molding. | 04-29-2010 |
20100110647 | Molded Memory Card With Write Protection Switch Assembly - A Secure Digital device including a PCBA having passive components mounted on a PCB using surface mount technology (SMT) techniques, and active components (e.g., controller and flash memory) mounted using chip-on-board (COB) techniques. The components are mounted only on one side of the PCB, and then a molded plastic casing is formed over both sides of the PCB such that the components are encased in the plastic, and a thin plastic layer is formed over the PCB surface opposite to the components. The molded plastic casing is formed to include openings that expose metal contacts provided on the PCB, and ribs that separate the openings. The molded plastic casing defines a pre-molded switch slot that facilitates an insert-in switch assembly process for mounting a write protect switch. The write protect switch includes a movable switch button engaged in the switch slot, and a switch cap secured over the switch slot. | 05-06-2010 |
20100248512 | USB Device With Connected Cap - A USB device including a housing and a protective cap that are slidably and/or pivotably connected together such that the protective cap is able to slide and/or pivot between an open position, in which a plug connector extending from the front of the housing is exposed for operable coupling to a host system, and a closed position, in which the protective cap is disposed over the front end portion of the housing to protect the plug connector. A pivoting/sliding mechanism is provided on the housing and cap that secures the protective cap to the housing at all times, including during transitional movements of the protective cap between the opened and closed positions. | 09-30-2010 |
20100281209 | Press-Push Flash Drive Apparatus With Metal Tubular Casing And Snap-Coupled Plastic Sleeve - A press-push type computer peripheral “flash drive” device includes an elongated (e.g., metal) tubular casing containing a PCBA having a plug connector. A plastic housing assembly includes front and rear cap portions mounted over the open ends of the tubular casing, and a fixed plastic sleeve portion disposed in the tubular casing. The PCBA is secured to a plastic sliding rack structure that is disposed in the tubular casing and includes an actuating button protruding through a slot formed in a wall of the tubular casing. When the actuating button is manually pushed and slid along the slot, a portion of the sliding rack structure slides against the plastic sleeve portion in deploying and retracting the USB connector out of the device. | 11-04-2010 |
20110003514 | DUAL-PERSONALITY EXTENDED USB PLUGS AND RECEPTACLES USING WITH PCBA AND CABLE ASSEMBLY - An extended USB plug connector includes a connector substrate including a frontend having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon and a backend having a second set of electrical contact pins disposed thereon. The first set includes a first row of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the connector substrate and a second row of electrical contact pins disposed in parallel with the first row of electrical contact pins and interior to the first row of electrical contact pins, where the second row includes more electrical contact pins than the first row. The second set of electrical contact pins includes a number of electrical contact pins equal to the first row and second row of electrical contact pins in total. The second set of electrical contact pins are used to connect to corresponding electrical contact pads disposed on a printed circuit board assembly having a USB controller and flash memory devices disposed thereon. | 01-06-2011 |
20110300724 | EXTENDED USB PLUG, USB PCBA, AND USB FLASH DRIVE WITH DUAL-PERSONALITY FOR EMBEDDED APPLICATION WITH MOTHER BOARDS - An extended universal serial bus (USB) storage device is described herein. According to one embodiment, an extended USB storage device includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a flash memory device and a flash controller mounted thereon, and an extended USB connector plug coupled to the PCBA for providing a USB compatible interface between an external device and the flash memory device and the flash controller, wherein the extended USB connector plug includes a first end used to couple to the external device and a second end coupled to the flash memory device and the flash controller. The extended USB connector plug includes multiple communication interfaces. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. | 12-08-2011 |
20120030943 | Single Shot Molding Method For COB USB/EUSB Devices With Contact Pad Ribs - A dual-personality extended USB (EUSB) system supports both USB and EUSB memory cards using an extended 9-pin EUSB socket. Each EUSB device | 02-09-2012 |
20120309231 | DUAL-PERSONALITY EXTENDED USB PLUGS AND RECEPTACLES USING WITH PCBA AND CABLE ASSEMBLY - A USB plug receptacle includes a connector substrate having a tongue portion having a first set of electrical contact pins disposed on a top surface of the tongue portion, a second set of a plurality of electrical pins disposed on a bottom surface of the tongue portion, a third set of electrical contact pins disposed on an opposite end of the tongue portion. The USB plug receptacle further includes a metal case made of a sheet of electrically conductive metal plate by blanking the sheet into a generally tubular shape to receive and enclose the connector substrate. When the connector substrate is inserted into the metal case, the third set of electrical contact pins are exposed outside of the metal case and the third set of electrical contact pins can be mounted on first and second sets of electrical contact pads of a printed circuit board assembly. | 12-06-2012 |
20130183862 | Molding Method For COB-EUSB Devices And Metal Housing Package - A dual-personality extended USB (EUSB) system supports both USB and EUSB devices using an extended 9-pin EUSB socket. Each EUSB device includes a PCBA having four standard USB metal contact pads, and several extended purpose contact springs disposed on an upper side of a PCB. A single-shot molding process is used to form a molded housing over passive components and IC dies disposed on the lower PCB surface. The passive components are mounted using SMT methods, and the IC dies are mounted using COB methods. The extended 9-pin EUSB socket includes standard USB contacts and extended use contacts that communicate with the PCBA through the standard USB metal contacts and the contact springs. The EUSB device is optionally used as a modular insert that is mounted onto a metal or plastic case to provide a EUSB assembly having a plug shell similar to a standard USB male connector. | 07-18-2013 |