JP4110092B2 - Device with USB connector and USB memory - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a device having a USB connector, such as a USB memory, and a USB memory.

  Conventionally, various devices are connected using a USB cable. For example, a peripheral device is connected to a USB female connector of a notebook PC using a USB cable. Furthermore, the peripheral device itself may be provided with a USB male connector to be connected to the USB female connector, and the peripheral device may be directly connected to, for example, a notebook PC without using a USB cable. ing. One example is a USB memory. This USB memory is positioned as a memory card having a USB male connector. In such a USB memory, a memory chip and a controller are housed in a housing, and a USB male connector connected to these circuits is provided on one end side. The USB male connector is detachably provided with a protective cap (or a protective member) in order to prevent electrostatic breakdown of the memory portion and short circuit of the terminal portion of the male connector. Therefore, when the USB memory is used, the USB male connector is connected to the USB female connector of an OA device such as a PC after removing the cap.

  However, in recent years, the miniaturization of PCs and the like has progressed remarkably, and along with this, the distance between USB female connectors such as PCs has been remarkably reduced. Therefore, even if two peripheral devices such as a USB memory are to be connected to a USB female connector such as a PC at the same time, depending on the peripheral devices 100 and 100, as shown in FIG. There is also a situation where it is not possible to connect to the female connector 300 in the device 200. This also occurs, for example, when a character or the like is formed and attached to the other end portion of the USB memory.

    As described above, conventionally, a plurality of devices having a USB male connector such as a USB memory cannot be connected to a device having a USB female connector such as a PC.

    The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to enable connection of a device having a USB connector even when a device such as a PC is downsized and the distance between the USB connectors on the receiving side is narrow. There is to do.

The present invention
A memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium therein and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the axis of the memory body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed when in use;
With
The memory main body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member can be rotated around an axis of the memory main body. Connected to
The second member is fitted and held in the thickness direction of the connector protection member along the second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, with the connector protection member in a detached state being stored and held. It is configured as having a protective member storage space penetrating in the second direction.
It is configured as a feature.

Furthermore, the present invention provides
A memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium therein and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the axis of the memory body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed when in use;
With
The memory main body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member can be rotated around an axis of the memory main body. Connected to
The second member is configured to have a protective member storage space for storing and holding the connector protective member in a detached state.

Furthermore, the present invention provides
A long USB memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium inside and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the longitudinal axis of the USB memory main body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed at the time of use;
With
The USB memory body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member are the longitudinal direction of the USB memory body. It is configured to be characterized by being connected to each other so as to be rotatable around an axis.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a USB memory 1 as an embodiment of the present invention. This is a USB memory in which the cap 3 can be fitted and held in the cap holding portion 7 of the memory body 2 as will be described later. In any case, the USB memory 1 is wider and larger on the other end side than the USB male connector 6. The memory body 2 is divided into a base end portion (first member) 2A and a rotating portion (second member) 2B. Both are fixed to each other by a shaft member 10 so as to be rotatable. For example, the shaft member 10 is rotatably embedded in the circuit board at the base end portion 2A, and the other end of the shaft member 10 is rotatably embedded in the rotating portion 2B. The mechanism for rotating the base end portion 2A and the rotating portion 2B to each other is not limited to the above, and other mechanisms can naturally be employed. Thereby, the base end portion 2A and the rotating portion 2B can rotate with each other. FIG. 14 shows a state in which the rotating unit 2B is rotated 90 degrees around the axis. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, even if the USB female connector 300 is close, the USB memories 1 and 1 can be connected simultaneously. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the rotating portion 2 </ b> B is configured to have a thickness dimension smaller than a width dimension. The base end portion 2A and the rotating portion 2B can be freely rotated so that they can be freely rotated, but may be lightly locked so as to stop the rotation at a predetermined position. it can. For example, a groove may be formed on one of the contact surfaces of both portions 2A and 2B, and a protrusion may be formed on the other.

  1 and 2A to 2C are a plan view of a USB memory 1 as an embodiment of the present invention, a plan view of a separated state of a cap 3 as a component, and a component (cap) 3 of FIG. It is sectional drawing and a side view. That is, the USB memory 1 has a memory body 2 and a cap 3. The memory body 2 includes a housing having a hollow portion and a solid portion, and a circuit component as a memory, for example, a memory chip, a controller, or the like is accommodated in the hollow portion in a state attached to a substrate. This housing can be constructed of a plastic, wood, metal or the like that can hold the shape. The circuit component is electrically connected to the electrical wiring in the USB male connector 6 formed at one end. The other end of the memory body 2 is a solid part, and a part of the housing is formed as a substantially ring-shaped cap holding part 7. The cap 3 is fitted into a circular space portion (protective member storage space) 8 in the cap holding portion 7 as will be described later.

  The USB male connector 6 in the memory body 2 is detachably attached with the cap 3 for protecting it. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 (a) show a mounted state and a detached state, respectively. As can be seen from FIG. 2 (b), this cap 3 has a connector storage space 3a for accommodating and holding the USB male connector as a cavity inside a part of the peripheral side surface of the thin cylindrical member. The shape is formed toward the peripheral side surface. As can be seen from FIG. 2 (b), the cap 3 has a complete side surface of the I-II portion α as a portion other than the storage space 3a. As will be described later, a protrusion or a groove is formed in this portion α. Further, FIGS. 2B and 2C show a cross-sectional view and a side view of the cap 3. 2C is a side view as viewed in the direction C of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. The cap 3 removed from the memory body 2 is fitted into the space portion 8 of the cap holding portion 7 of the memory body 2. The cap 3 and the storage space 8 can be held together by friction (light interference fit), but can be prevented from falling off by a combination of protrusions and grooves, as will be described later. In FIG. 1, the width direction WD is a direction along the width of the memory body 1, and in FIG. 3, the first direction LD is a direction along the axis of the memory body 1, and the second direction WD is This is the direction along the thickness of the memory body 1.

  The cap holding | maintenance part 7 is demonstrated with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the cap 3 is removed from the memory main body 2 and moved above the space portion 8 (FIG. 4). The cap 3 is pushed into the space portion 8 (FIG. 5) and is fitted into the state held by the cap holding portion 7 of the memory body 2 (FIG. 6). In the state of FIG. 6, the USB memory 1 is used by being inserted into a USB female connector of a PC. The cap 3 is mounted in a state of being fitted in the memory main body 2, and external force is not directly applied to the cap 3, so that the cap 3 is reliably prevented from being detached from the memory main body 2 even when external force or the like is applied. The After use, the cap 3 may be removed from the memory body 2 and attached to the USB male connector 6.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the cap 3 and the cap holding part can be fixed to each other with the light interference fit described above. Can be used. This will be described with reference to FIGS. Only the part surrounded by the circle C and the cap in FIG. 7 are shown in FIGS. In FIG. 8, the groove 11 is formed on the entire peripheral surface (portion α) of the cap 3, and the protrusion 13 protrudes on the inner peripheral surface forming the space portion 8 of the housing of the memory body 2. The protrusion 13 is formed over the entire circumferential side surface. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11, it can also be set as the partial protrusion 14 formed at predetermined intervals. In contrast to FIG. 8, the protrusion 15 can be formed on the portion α of the cap 3, and the groove 17 can be formed on the entire circumference of the cap holding portion 7. Further, the protrusion of the cap 3 may be a protrusion 16 formed at a predetermined interval in the portion α as shown in FIG. Moreover, these various protrusions 13, 14, 15, 16 and the grooves 11, 17 can be arbitrarily combined.

  Further, the planar shapes of the cap 3 and the space portion 8 are not limited to a circular shape, and may be various shapes. FIG. 12 shows an example in which a hexagon is formed, and FIG.

  The USB memory for attaching and holding the cap to the memory main body has been described above. However, the present embodiment is not limited to this, and a USB memory with a character formed on the memory main body or a device other than a USB memory can be used. It can be applied to various devices having a connector.

The top view of one embodiment of the present invention. The top view of the isolation | separation state of FIG. The side view of FIG. The side view of Fig.2 (a). The figure which shows the transition process to the use condition of the apparatus of FIG. The side view of the use condition of the apparatus of FIG. The figure for demonstrating the modification of the apparatus of FIG. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the modification of the apparatus of FIG. The fragmentary sectional view which shows the other modification of the apparatus of FIG. The top view of the modification of a cap. The partial top view of the modification of a memory main body. The top view of the modification of the apparatus of FIG. The top view of another modification of the apparatus of FIG. The top view after the rotation of the apparatus of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the connection state of the apparatus of FIG. Explanatory drawing of the unusable state of the conventional apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 USB memory 2A Base end (first member)
2B Rotating part (second member)
2 Memory body 3 Cap 3a Connector storage space
6 USB male connector 7 Cap holder 8 Space part (cap storage space)
11 Groove 13, 14, 15, 16 Protrusion 17 Groove

Claims (8)

A memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium therein and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the axis of the memory body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed when in use;
With
The memory main body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member can be rotated around an axis of the memory main body. It is connected to,
The second member is fitted and held in the thickness direction of the connector protection member along the second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, with the connector protection member in a detached state being stored and held. A device provided with a USB connector, characterized in that it has a protective member storage space penetrating in the second direction.   The device having a USB connector according to claim 1, wherein the second member is configured to have a thickness dimension smaller than a width dimension. Wherein further comprising a disengagement prevention mechanism for preventing falling off from the memory body as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized, equipment with a USB connector of the connector protecting member fitted in the receiving space.   The drop-off prevention mechanism is provided with a protrusion on one of the outer periphery of the connector protection member and the inner peripheral surface of the storage space, and a groove that engages with the protrusion on the other. A device provided with the USB connector described in 1. A memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium therein and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the axis of the memory body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed when in use;
With
The memory main body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member can be rotated around an axis of the memory main body. Connected to
The device having a USB connector, wherein the second member is configured to have a protection member storage space for storing and holding the connector protection member in a detached state. A long USB memory main body having at least a memory chip as a storage medium inside and a USB connector electrically connected to the memory chip at one end;
A connector protection member that is removable from the USB connector in a first direction along the longitudinal axis of the USB memory main body, protects the USB connector in a mounted state, and is removed at the time of use;
With
The USB memory body has a first member on the USB connector side and a second member on the opposite side, and the first member and the second member are the longitudinal direction of the USB memory body. A USB memory characterized by being connected to each other so as to be rotatable around an axis.   The USB memory according to claim 6, wherein the second member is configured to have a protection member storage space for detachably holding the connector protection member in a detached state.   The protection member storage space fits and holds the connector protection member in a detached state in a thickness direction of the connector protection member along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The USB memory according to claim 7, wherein the USB memory is configured to penetrate in the second direction.

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