GB2529457A - Containers or cases for electronic data devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A case for one or more solid state electronic data storage devices 15 comprises a case 01 with a socket 11A which accepts a memory device 15. A second socket 11B connected to the first and disposed on the outside of the case allows connection between the device and a computer (not shown) without removing the data device 15 from the case. The case may have means (04, figure 1) to retain paperwork, and means 16, 17 to store a connection cable 18. The case may have a generally rectangular cuboid shape. The case is preferably the size and shape of a typical DVD case. The memory device 15 is preferably a USB drive.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GB1414851.4 RTTVI Date:12 March 2015 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Memory Stick', Blu-ray', Playstation' Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo Containers or cases for electronic data devices

Technical Field

The invention relates to containers or cases for solid state electronic data-storage devices such as USB flash drives (also known in various countries as "key drives" or "pen drives" or memory sticks) and "portahie" SSD drives, and also means for distribution or delivery of digital products such as software, games, and movies.

Background

In recent years small solid-state electronic devices for storing digital data have become widely available, for instance USB flash drives (also known in various countries as "key drives" or "pen drives" or memory sticks).

These have the advantage of being easy to carry due to being small. But their small size also has the important disadvantage, namely that they are easily misplaced or lost, and hard to find again. And they cannot be so conveniently organised in a bookshelf (or drawer) in the way that books or dvd cases can be.

The data stored in these devices can be of great importance or value or confidentiality.

It can thus be a matter of much concern that such data devices may be misbid and lost either in a workplace or home or in transit.

The importance of this problem is reflected in a number of prior patents which have proposed to give solutions, such as by fitting the drives with alarms to emit a sound or cause a light to flash. But these proposed solutions have obvious shortcomings in that they depend on a power supply (e.g a battery) being added to the drive device, and still not always being effective to prevent loss or difficulty of finding, for instance if the sound may not be heard or the light may not be seen, even if the battery has not failed anyway.

Further disadvantages of the small size of flash drives are the deficiency of provision for labelling and for attaching of documentation of the contents of the device.

Alternative forms of portable data device are currently being marketed as portable "SSD drives" -that is solid state alternatives to hard disk drives, and which can be hot-plugged in and out of an external USB socket of a computer. These SSD drives are generally of larger physical size than flash drives. But they also do not offer very good solutions for convenient transport or storage in shelves or drawers, because they are designed primarily to function as a part of a computer system rather than as an intermediary for travelling between computers. Thus they lack convenient labelling means, they lack means for storing documentation, and they lack convenient means for stowing of connecting cables. And they lack a hole for attachment of a lanyard (such as is often used in an attempt to prevent loss of a flash drive).

Objects of the present invention are to provide means of reducing these stated disadvantages, namely reducing the risk that such a storage device may become mislaid or lost, to make it easier to find, and also to conveniently shelve on a bookshelf such as among books and such-like things, to provide convenient labelling and documentation capabilities, and to provide convenient means of stowing away the connecting cables. Other potential advantages will be apparent from the following

description.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for (e.g. retail) distribution of digital products such as software, games, and digital movies, For many years the standard means of distribution has been in the form of optical discs (DVD or CD), but in recent years there has been a trend towards computers not having DVD/CD drives. This obstacle can be overcome by supplying the products on flash drives instead, but that leads to all the problems listed above in respect of flash drives.

Disclosure of Invention

In the following, the words "container" and "case" will be used interchangeably to mean the same thing.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a container of one or more portable solid state electronic digital data storage devices is improved for more practical travelling and storage, the improvement being characterised by the combination of all four of: (a) size sufficiently large to be relatively easy to find and not easily lost (at least 8 x 8 x 0,5 cm); (b) means for in-situ connection of the device's electronics to a computer or other data-processing device (e.g, phone, player, printer); (c) conveniently re-openable and re-closeable without use of engineering tools, such as to enable access to additional space inside to store things; and (d) general external shape nearly or exactly "rectangular cuboid" such as to allow convenient shelving or storage (though this not excluding recesses for access of fingers for pulling open, and not excluding optional artistic modifications of the top edge surface).

The abovementioned "means for in-situ connection" comprises one or more sockets, plugs, or cables integrated in the case such that the electronic drive may be functionally connected to a computer without need to remove it from the case.

For instance the "means for in-situ connection" may comprise a USB socket (e.g. standard A-type) affixed inside the case and which is either (i) fixedly connected to a USB cable, or (ii) connected to a USB socket preferably facing to the outside of the case through an opening, or (iii) forming part of an adapter unit comprising that USB socket and another IJSB socket (such as a micro-A socket or alternatively USB plug.

The means for in-situ connection may alternatively comprise direct electrical connection of the electronics (circuit board) to a cable arranged to project out from the container.

Advantageously, the container may be based on the general form of a rigid polymer "keep-case" (as is standardly used for dvd, blu-ray, playstation discs) and thus with an outer transparent polymer sheet to retain a cover paper, and with clips formed on the inner front to hold documentation in place, and with flexing proj ections at the edges to enable snapping open and closed C though not necessarily including the features for retaining of a disc).

Indeed, according to a frirther aspect of the invention, the container may be thus based on the general form of a polymer keep case (as is standardly used for dvd, blu-ray, playstation discs) and thus with an outer transparent polymer sheet to retain a cover paper, and with clips formed on the inner front to hold documentation in place, and with flexing projections to enable snapping open and closed (, though not necessarily including the features for retaining of a disc).

According to another aspect of the invention, a container of one or more portable solid state electronic digital data storage devices with means for in-situ connection to a computer, is improved for more practical travelling and storage, the improvement being characterised by one or more of (i) a label-retaining means on the outside, (ii) integral cable-storage means, and (iii) documentation storage means.

The label-retaining means could comprise either a label pocket (label holder) or alternatively a transparent outer sheet of polymer such as standardly fitted to keep-cases for disks such as dvds. The cable-storage means and documentation-storage means could comprise an internal space with a lid which is snappable openable and closeable, and the cable-storage means could comprise clips or grooves in an inner or outer surface into which the cable (and its terminal plug or socket) can be pushed for storage, or storage space inset in the outside of the case. The documentation-storage means may also comprise springy clips to hold the documentation in place.

According to a first elaborated concept of the invention, a socket is fixed inside the case such that a flash drive or similar device may be plugged into that socket. And that socket is electrically connected to a further socket faced to the outside of the container.

For instance in some preferred embodiments, the inner socket may be an A-type USB socket and the outer socket be a micro-type IJSB socket. Thus any of a wide variety of available USB flash drives can be plugged in on the inside, and a standard micro-USB cable (such as standardly used for cameras and portable audio) can be connected on the outside, thereby enabling connection to a computer without having to open the container, The inner and outer sockets may advantageously be comprised of a single pre-manufactured adapter unit, which may be secured in place by means of clips or other projections formed in the inner surface of the case (or could be incorporated in the process of moulding the case). A hole or cut-out in the case would be provided to enable access of the plug of the cable to the outer socket.

According to another aspect of the invention, the container does not have an internal (A-type) USB socket, but instead contains a built-in flash drive electronics (but without the usual A-type plug), directly functionally connected to a USB socket interfacing to the outside, the socket preferably being micro-USB.

Or alternatively the electronics are directly connected to an A-type USB plug (as normally fitted to flash drives) interfacing to the outside such that a IJSB socket may be connected to it, Or alternatively the electronics arc directly connected to a captive cable terminating with an A-type USB plug, and there being an opening or notch in the case such that the user may sometimes set the cable to project out through that opening or notch so as to connect to a computer and at other times arrange the cable entirely inside the case for travelling or storage purposes.

In any of these three preceding instances featuring built-in electronics there may be advantageously provided clips on the inside of the back of the container to aid the storage of a cable there.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an inner A-type socket is secured to the inside back of the case such that a flash drive may be conveniently plugged in or out, and that socket is functionally connected to a captive cable terminating with an A-type USB plug, and there is an opening or notch in the case such that the user may sometimes set the cable to project out through that opening or notch so as to connect to a computer and at other times arrange the cable entirely inside the case for travelling or storage purposes. This aspect may be alternatively understood as a pre- manufactured USB extension cable having one end secured inside the modified keep-case. If the case has the dimensions of a standard dvd case, the length of the cable would preferably be about 50-100 cm.

In other embodiments, alternatively or in addition there may be provision of additional sockets inside optionally of the same type or including those designed for insertion of memory cards such as SD cards, One or more adapters from memory card to IJSB may also be included.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a case with flash drive and in-situ connection means may be used for the purpose of distribution of a digital product such as operating system or other software, game or movie. Such a combination of case and drive may be improved for this purpose by a capability of making the drive read-only for the end-users, even though it needs to be previously writeable so that the product can be written into it, Therefore according to a further aspect of the invention, the product may be written to the memory either (i) via the usual USB connection which is thereafter reset to read-only mode (by known or obvious means such as a switch or other changing of a connection in the electronics); or (ii) via an altemative connection which is designed such that end-users would not normally attempt to use it. Flash memory is becoming increasingly inexpensive, and for purposes of product distribution relatively stow and small-capacity memoiy with negligible re-writing durability, hence very cheap, may be used such that this aspect of the invention can soon become a most economical and appropriate means for product distribution, These various embodiments have both merits and demerits such that there is not one best embodiment. For instance versions with integral (built-in) drives can have the security advantage that the drives cannot be easily removed, but on the other hand have the disadvantage that other drives, perhaps larger or faster, cannot be substituted.

And versions with integral external sockets (e.g. the first embodiment) may be advantageous in scenarios where a plurality of the cases is required to be accessed one after another via the same cable, but disadvantageous in scenarios where the cable may get forgotten or misplaced and consequently not available at a remote location.

For most purposes the versions with integral cable but not integral drive may be the most convenient,

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention will now be further described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying figures in which: Figure lisa perspective view of the inside of a keepcase, generally such as may be used in respect of all the following embodiments but in this instance showing details of specifically the first embodiment; Figure 2 is a plan view of the inside of a case according to the first embodiment, showing the integrated adapter and the cable clips; Figure 3 is a view of the first and fourth embodiments' opening-closing side, here shown closed, to show the socket for cable connection; Figure 4 shows detail of the adapter in the first embodiment; Figures 5 and 6 show detail of the cable clips in the first and other embodiments; Figure 7 is a plan view of the inside of a case according to the second embodiment, showing the integrated cable and the cable clips; Figure 8 is a view of the second and third embodiments' opening-closing side, here shown closed to show the notch for outward extension of the cable; Figure 9 is a plan view of the inside of a case according to the third embodiment, showing the integral drive and captive cable Figure 10 is a plan view of the inside of a case according to the fourth embodiment, showing the integral drive and socket output; Figure II is a plan view of the inside of a case according to the fifth embodiment, showing the integral drive and plug; Figure 12 is a view of the fifth embodiment's opening-closing side, here shown closed, to show the opening for access to the USB plug of the drive; Figure 13 is a rough plan view of the inside of a case according to the sixth embodiment, showing multiple (three) drives in multiple (three) adapters; Figure 14 is a view of the sixth embodiment's opening-closing side, here shown closed to show the multiple sockets therein; and Figure 1 5 shows a closed keepcase with an ornamentally-shaped top edge.

S

Best Modes of Carrying Out the Invention FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of the inside of a standard DVD case (also known as a "keep-case") as modified to form the first embodiment described more fully further on here. As is typical of a keep-case it features a front section 01, back section 02, and spine section 03 connected to the front and back by "living hinges" (all being formed from a single moulding of polypropylene). And also clips 04 for retaining documentation, and.the usual snap-fasteners OSa and 0Th at the edges, and transparent outer sheet 06 covering the outer side (not visible in the figure as it is at the back from this view). The transparent sheet 06 enables a sheet of paper to be inserted and thereby held in place to display title or contents information on the front and or back and or spine. The opening-closing edges also have one or more recesses 07 to facilitate pulling the case open.

[1-Single adapter with separate cable] A first embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. The container is in general the same as a standard DVD case, as described above in respect of FIG. 1. The case differs from a usual DVD case in not having the formations on the inside which DVD cases have in order to retain the disc(s) in place, as these are not needed in this instance. The case also differs, crucially, in that there is attached (or formed) inside the back half a USB adapter II, which comprises an A-type USB socket I IA standardly wired to a micro-type USB socket IIB, As also shown in perspective in FIG. 4, the adapter II is secured to the inside back 02 of the case by means of two clips 12 formed in the polypropylene moulding, and is retained against the outer edge by means of a small projection 13 also moulded into the polypropylene, Cutaways 14 in the closing edges of the case are provided to enable a micro-plug to be plugged into the micro socket even when the case is closed.

The USB adapter could alternatively be secured to the back by means of adhesive or thermal bonding or double-sided tape, but these methods may not be as cheap or as robust.

In any case the USB adapter 11 is positioned such that there is sufficient space around it for most designs of usb flash drive 15 to be plugged into the A-type socket.

Provision is also made inside the case to conveniently store the required TJSB cable.

This consists of two types of clips formed in the moulded case. The clips 16, shown in alternative view in FIG. 5, are shaped such that the cable 18 can be easily pulled under them. The other clips, 17, shown in alternative view in FIG. 6, are shaped such that the ends of the cable can be easily pushed down into them, and alternatively easily pulled back out ready for re-use of the cable.

[2 -Extension type] A second embodiment is shown in FIGS 7 and 8. Herein a keep-case-type case similarly includes an A-type socket 31 secured inside for a flash drive to be plugged into. But in this instance the A-type socket is not connected to another socket but instead is directly wired to a IJSB cable 32 with A-type plug at its far end. (This may be alternatively understood as being a pre-manufactured IJSB extension cable 32 having the socket 3 1 at one end secured inside the modified DVD-case.) There is an opening or notch 33 in the opening-closing edge of the case such that the user may sometimes set the cable to project out through that opening or notch so as to connect to a computer (position 34 indicated with dashed lines) and at other times arrange the cable entirely inside the case for travelling or storage purposes (position 35). With reference again to FIGS. 5 and 6, clips 16 and 17 are formed in the inner back of the case so that the cable 32 may be more easily stored thereby. A stub 36 is formed in the inner baclc of the case to protect the cable from sideways strain, In any case the soclcet 31 is positioned such that there is sufficient space around it for most designs of USB flash drive 15 to be plugged into the A-type socket.

[3 -built-in, captive cable type] A third embodiment is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Herein a keep-case-type case has electronics (not visible in illustrations) of a flash drive which are integrally built in and covered by a protective cover 42, But the electronics are not directly connected to a IJSB plug (as usual for flash drives) but instead directly connected to a cable 43 with USB plug at its other end, The protective cover 42 and underlying electronics may be secured to the inner back of the case by clips or other means, There is an opening or notch 33 in the opening-closing edge of the case such that the user may sometimes set the cable to project out through that opening or notch so as to connect to a computer (position 44 indicated with dashed lines) and at other times arrange the cable entirely inside the case for travelling or storage purposes (position 45). Clips 16 and 17 are formed in the inner back of the case so that the cable 43 may be more easily stored thereby. A stub 46 is formed in the inner back of the case to protect the cable from sideways strain.

[4 -built-in, socket typej A fourth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 10 and 3. Herein a keep-case-type case has electronics (not visible in the figures) of a flash drive which are integrally built in and covered by a protective cover 51, But the electronics are not directly connected to a USB plug (as usual for flash drives) but instead directly connected to a micro-USB socket 53 faced to the outside at the opening-closing edge, also indicated as I B in FIG. 3, such that a USB cable may be conveniently plugged in there. The cover 51 of the flash drive is secured in place by means of clips 54 pre-formed in the moulding of the case. As with the first and second and third embodiments, there may also be provided clips 06 and 07 for storage of the cable, though these are not shown in Figure 10.

[5 -built-in, plug-output type] A fifth embodiment is shown in FIGS. II and 12. A keep-case-type case has an entire flash drive 61 integrally built in (or clipped in place), with the usual USB plug 62 faced to the outer edge of the case such as to be adjacent to an opening consisting of cutouts 63 in the opening/closing edges of the case, such that the socket of a USB extension cable may be connected through the opening cutouts 63. The cover 61 of the flash drive is secured in place by means of clips 64 pre-formed in the moulding of the case. Clips for storage of a cable may also be included, as illustrated for other embodiments.

II

[6 -multi drive type] A sixth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. There is provision in the case for a plurality of flash drives to be stored and connected to therein in the same manner as for only one drive in the first embodiment, For instance in FIGS. 13 and 14 is shown three flash drives 71 each plugged into adapters 72 such that one or more cables may be plugged into one or more of them at any time through the openings 73 formed in the opening-closing edges. Clips for storage of a cable may also be included, as illustrated for other embodiments.

[7 -product distribution type] This seventh embodiment does not have any separate illustrations, because its essential differences are almost or completely invisible. The case preferably features built-in electronics as per FIG 9, tO, or 11. The difference from those embodiments is that a product (software, game, movie, etc) is written into the memory by the supplier of the product. Then before distribution the USB connection may be reset to read-only mode, by known or obvious means such as a switch or some other means of changing an eletrical connection (making or breaking a specific connection on the circuit board which has been designed in advance for this to be easy to do). There may for instance be a very small hole in the cover of the electronics, through which a mini-screwdriver may be pushed to permanently) break a connection, Or the cover of the electronics may have a small flap moulded into it which when pressed down causes a connection to break in the electronics. Or the cover may its&f be designed to be somewhat compliant and with a projection on its inside which forces a connection to permanently break when the cover is pressed on, There are many possible designs of these ways of breaking a connection and it seems of liftie value to illustrate any specific instances of them here, Alternatively, the USB connection is made only read-only anyway, and the digital product is written to the memory via a small alternative connection (not for end-user use), either before or after installation of the cover over the electronics.

For purposes of product distribution, the flash memory can be relatively slow, relatively low-capacity (e.g. 4Gbyte or less) but physically large, and with minimal re-writing durability, and consequently very cheap to manufacture, [8 -modified top surface] An alternative variant on all the preceding embodiments is shown in FIG. 15. The top surface 99 of the case may be formed not flat but with a curved or otherwise ornamental shape. The case may thereby have some variation in terms of styling and vary to that extent from the general concept of being roughly rectangular cuboid, and yet still fall within the principles of the invention from a functional and conceptual point of view, thanks to having the other surfaces confonriing to the rectangular cuboid overall shape (for easy storage, shelving, and transporting).

Meanings in the following Claims In the Claims which follow here: "means for in-situ connection" comprises one or more sockets, plugs, or cables integrated in the case (as per examples indicated in the preceding Description) such that the electronic drive may be functionally connected to a computer without need to remove it from the case; "label-retaining means" comprises a label pocket (label holder) or alternatively a transparent outer sheet of polymer such as standardly fitted to keep-cases of disks such as dvds to hold in place a printed paper cover sheet; "cable-storage means" comprises internal storage space or external insetting, and or clips or squeeze-points with which to clip in place the cable and or its terminal plug or socket; "documentation-storage means" comprises accessible internal storage space and or clips of size and position suitable for retaining booklets, leaflets, or other documentation, 1-, I-:,