TW200818991A - Connector with ESD protection - Google Patents

Abstract

A Universal Serial Bus flash memory unit having an electrically conductive housing includes a spring that provides an electrically conductive, low-resistance pathway between the housing and the metal shell of the Universal Serial Bus connector so that electrostatic charge can directly discharge from the housing to the metal shell instead of discharging through electronic components within the housing.

Description

200818991 IX. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the use and construction of removable non-volatile memory devices, and more particularly to having standardized connections for interfacing with other electronic systems. Device. [Prior Art] Commercially implemented non-volatile according to a number of well-known standards

Electronic circuit card for sexual memory cards. Memory cards are used in personal computers, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, digital cameras, portable audio players, and other host electronic devices to store large amounts of data. The class card typically includes a - reprogrammable non-volatile semiconductor memory cell array along with a - controller' which controls the operation of the memory cell array and is coupled to the host. A number of cards of the same type can be exchanged in a host card slot designed to accommodate the type of card. However, the development of many electronic card standards has produced different types of cards that are incompatible with each other to varying degrees. Cartoons manufactured according to a standard cannot be used to design a host computer that uses another standard card. The memory card standard includes a PC card.

CompactFlashTM card (CFTM card), SmartMediaTM card, multimedia card (MMCTM), secure digital (so) card, miniS£)TM card, field _ 卞, user identification module (SIM), Memory StickTM, Mem〇 Ry 妒 leaf β (10) card and TransFlashTM memory module standard. Small, hand-held reprogrammable non-volatile memory has also been interfaced with a computer or a stand-alone, octopus-type host through a universal serial bus (USB) connector. These memories are especially convenient for users who have one or more USB ports in front of their PCs and have one or more USB ports, especially one of the above identified memory cards. In case. Such devices are also useful for transferring data between various host systems (including portable devices) having USB sockets. With the release of the Universal Serial Bus Specification 2.0, which was released on April 27, 2000, the mechanical and electrical details of the USB interface are provided. The connector is generally characterized by a metal housing surrounding an opening containing a pin that is connected to ground when inserted into a USB receptacle. A USB flash drive product with the trademark "Cruzer8" from SanDlsk is available on the market. USB flash drives are typically larger and different in shape from the memory cards described above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A J-second 冗 冗 体 体 unit (card, USB flash drive, and pot unit) generally has a standardized connector. In some cases, such connectors are prone to damage. A cover can be used to cover such connectors for protection. However, in the case where such a cover can be separated from the memory unit, the composite is easily lost or damaged. An alternative is to provide a connector that can be: thinned into the housing of the memory unit to protect the memory unit. This type of single =: package one from SanDisk company c-titanium USB flash drive J for the protection of the body, can be used - metal manufacturing flash drive shell, the metal such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, σ other Suitable metal. The alloy of b or any unit of the collapsible connector generally has an It sign on the outer side of its casing which allows the user to slide the connector in the -retracted position and -stretched position. In the retracted position, the connector is contained within = 123467.doc 200818991 and is protected by the shell. In the extended position, the connector passes through an opening in the housing so that it can be inserted into the socket. Such an opening m is nominally larger than the connector to provide some spacing around the connector, thereby allowing the port to freely expand and contract without heavy A friction or restraint. Under normal conditions, some static charge can spread on the conductive shell, which can cause electrostatic discharge (ESD) problems. The electrostatic discharge is the discharge of the instantaneous charge, and the e-electrode can be spread on the conductive shell or an i-body in electrical contact with the shell, so that the shell is at a higher potential than the ground to which the discharge ground path is required. Therefore, many electrical/electronic systems are equipped with electrostatic discharge protection circuits. These circuits prevent undesirable transients that can spread out on a conductive housing from jumping onto sensitive components within the memory system and thereby preventing damage or malfunction of the memory device. One way to design an ESD protection is to provide a grounding path to the grounding of the chassis (4) by a metal enclosure that connects the stolen. A conductive spring provided between the connector and the housing provides a conductive path between the housing and the metal housing of the connector. Therefore, the case and the metal case are maintained at the same potential. # When connecting the connector to the “socket”, connect the 5 hp metal case to the ground and discharge any charge on the case to the conductive case through the guide spring. In this way, the memory system can be protected from damage to the electrostatic discharge. In one example, a conductive spring is integrally formed with the metal outer casing of the connector. The additional aspects, advantages, features, and details of the various aspects of the invention are set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, 123467.doc 200818991 All patents referred to in this article are accurate, frequently searched, and documented, articles, manuals, and references: His announcements and matters are therefore hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. [Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows an example of a removable flash memory I1 with a retractable USB connector 103 extending from a case 101, an open r4 early flash (flash drive) 1 ο0. It is known to use a conductive metal (for example, copper alloy or steel) in the Fans 101. The shell 1〇1 is a top cover and a metal bottom cover that is joined together. Others can also be considered to be electrically conductive even if a casing contains certain insulating components. The opening in the casing (8) allows the connector 103 to extend from the casing (8) so that the connector can be inserted into a socket. Appropriate sockets according to the USB standard are generally provided on personal computers and other devices. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the removable flash memory cell 100 taken along the Χ γ plane of Figure 1 . The USB connector 103 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 205 at one end. A controller plus memory 2 () 1 is also installed on the coffee maker 2〇5. Controller 202 and memory 2〇1 form a memory system in this example. In some cases, the 'additional component' can be installed on pcB 2〇5 as part of a memory system. The _ connector 103 is connected to the controller 202 by a (four) electric body (not shown) and is also connected to the controller 2 〇 2 and the flash memory 20 。. Figure 2 shows a volume 2〇7 in which the PCB 2〇5 can be slid into the shell. When the PCB 205 slides back to occupy the volume 2〇7, the connector ι〇3 slides with it: so that the connector 103 is shrunk into the case 101. Figure 3A shows the removable flash memory unit! A vertical section of one of the 〇〇 (along a plane perpendicular to the X-axis of Figure 1). Unlike the diagrams and 2, Figure 3 shows the connector 103 in the retracted position of the housing 101. Fig. 3 shows a spring 31〇 extending from the connector 103 to contact the case 1〇1. The spring 31 is formed in this example by a conductive metal to form a conductive path between the connector 1〇3 and the housing 1〇1, which provides a desirable electrostatic discharge protection. In other examples, a conductive spring can have a different configuration, such as extending from or extending from the bottom or side of a connector. In this example, the spring 31 is in contact with the housing 1〇1 when the connector 103 is in the retracted position, although in other

In the example, only one part of the flash memory unit 1 in the same view as FIG. 3A is shown when the connector is in the extended position. FIG. 3B shows a part of the flash memory unit 1 in the same view as FIG. 3A, but in the connector 1〇3 The connector is in the extended position with the case 1〇1 protruding. Spring 310 is shown as contacting housing 101 along edge 32. As the connector 103 slides forward, the spring 31〇 can be squeezed and deformed by the edges. The spring 310 is elastically deformed so that when the connector ι 3 is returned to its contracted state, the spring 310 will return to its previous position. As the spring 31〇 deforms, it squeezes the edge 32〇 to form a low resistance, metal-to-metal contact with the casing. Therefore, in the extended position, the connector ι3 is connected to the case 101 by a conductive low resistance path. Further, the spring 31 〇 maintains the connection between the connector (8) and the casing 101 at the retracted position and at all positions between the extended position and the retracted position. This provides a path for electrostatic discharge that is lower than the path through the electronic components within the housing 101. When the connector is auded into the socket, any static charge that may have been built on the casing 1G1 is discharged directly from the casing 101 to the connector 103. When the flash memory unit 100 is in use, 'the connector 103 is connected to the chassis ground with the connector 103 attached to a socket. The person who is in contact with the electrostatic charge of the case 1011 is electrostatically discharged to the connector 1〇3 without passing through the electronic components in the case 1〇1. The spring plus provides an alternative to the electrostatic discharge. Therefore, in addition to discharging through the components within the housing 1G1, current can be directly transferred to the connector 103 via the low resistance path. In this example, when the connector 103 is in the extended position, the retracted position, and all of the intermediate positions, the spring 310 maintains a conductive low resistance path.

In the illustrated example, the connector 1〇3 is mounted on the pcB 2〇5 so that the connector (8) cannot be moved separately from the (4) plus. However, in other embodiments the 'USB connector is moveable regardless of some or all of the components of the memory system and may not always be installed on the pcB. The invention is not limited to connectors mounted on a PCB. A spring can be provided on either of the housing 101 or the connector 1〇3. Alternatively, 可), force extra, .. σ 纟 纟 纟 纟 纟 纟 纟 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 For the -excitation connection H, when the connection is connected to the -, the metal casing of the connector provides a path to the ground. The metal casing is generally formed as a foil sheet. The foil surrounds the middle (10) port containing the pin for material delivery. In this model, the spring 31G is integrally formed with the metal casing of the connector 103. That is, the spring 31 is formed using the same metal foil forming the metal casing of the connector 103. Fig. 4A shows the metal casing 430 of the connector 1〇3 before being mounted in the casing 1〇1. Fig. 4A shows a spring 31 〇 and a spring 432 extending from the metal casing 43 ( (the traverse 43 2 is not visible in the above figures). Both the spring 31 and the spring have the same purpose. Different numbers of bullets can be used in different examples. In some cases, a single shot may be sufficient; in other cases, two, three or more springs may be used. The spring can be positioned on either side of the metal housing 430. Fig. 4A shows an elastomer 31 formed using a metal casing 43. The elastomeric crystal 310 is a metal tape from the metal casing 43G which is elongated in the longitudinal direction (in the direction of the drawing). The #spring 3 10 is held at the end to the remaining portion of the metal casing 43. The other end of the blade is bent upward from the metal casing 43 so that the spring extends over the upper surface of the metal casing 430. Thus, even if an opening in a housing provides a spacing for a standard sized connector, the blast 3 〇 is still fully extended to bridge the gap and maintain a conductive path. The spring 31 is resiliently deformed' so it maintains good contact with the casing (8) throughout the repetitive operation and does not interfere with the movement of the connector 103. An elastomer can be formed into any suitable shape and can be straight or curved. Forming an elastomeric crystal with a metal shell of a connector provides a simple, reliable structure that produces a conductive low resistance path between the connector and the shell. Fig. 4B shows the metal casing 43 〇 _ 丨. Side view of day m Bu double 0. The spring 310 is shown extending over the upper surface of the gold shell 430. This stretch is sufficient to bridge the _ between the metal genus 43G and the shell 1G1. However, the spring can be formed to stretch different numbers for different shells and the dimensions of the figures are merely examples. Figure (4) shows a top view of a metal outer 430. The phthalocyanine 31 〇 shows a longitudinal extension of 6.75 mm and a width of U mm. Other sizes are also available. For example, a single slinger having a width greater than one millimeter can be used and can provide a sufficiently low resistance. Angle μ The outer case I' can be connected to a similar spring adapter to provide a shell or another conductive 123467.doc -12- 200818991 sub F f 2 that moves relative to the connector. The dry case is included in various types of memory cards and other electrical connectors. The present invention is also applicable to USB ports and can also be used for connection according to different standards. For example, where appropriate, ire connections The device can also have a spring. Although the exemplary embodiments and variations of the present invention are described, the present invention has the right to be protected in all areas of the patent scope. Description] = display of a removable flash memory unit having a collapsible connection according to an embodiment of the present invention. Removable flash memory showing a slidable pcB including the connector mounted thereon A cross-sectional view of the unit. " A cross section of the removable flash memory unit of Figure 1 is shown from the side, and the unit includes a conductive spring extending from the connector, wherein the connected body is in a retracted position. A cross section of the removable flash memory unit of Fig. 3A is shown, wherein the connector is in the extended position. Fig. 4A shows the outer frame of the MB connector of Fig. 1. 4B shows the metal outside Figure 4A Figure 4C shows a top view of the metal casing of Figure 4. [Main component symbol description] 100 Removable flash memory unit 101 Shell 123467.doc • 3 - 200818991 103 USB connector 201 Memory 202 Controller 205 Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 207 Volume 310 Spring 320 Edge 430 Metal Housing 432 Spring

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Claims (1)

200818991 X. Patent Application Range: A method for seeding a universal serial busbar non-volatile memory unit, comprising: forming a non-volatile memory system; forming a conductive shell for the non-volatile memory system; forming a pass-through bus bar connector including a metal case; forming a conductive spring; writing the non-volatile memory system and the universal serial bus bar connection in the case such that the spring forms the metal case and the case Between - the conductive path. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conductive spring is integrally formed with the metal casing. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metal casing is formed by a metal foil extending around a central opening and extending in a first direction, and the spring is formed by a portion of the metal foil, the portion being Elongating in the first direction. (A method of claim 3, wherein the elastic phthalocyanine extends from the central opening. 5. A method of forming a removable non-volatile memory, comprising: forming a memory system on a printed circuit board, The memory system includes an array of non-volatile memory cells and a memory controller; a connector is attached to the printed circuit board, the connector having a spring extending from the connector; and 123467.doc 200818991 The printed circuit board is fixed to the conductive case. The conductive case is placed in the conductive case so that the spring contacts the 6 · as claimed in claim 5 > s q has a fixed hopper in which the printed circuit board has a movement in the conductive case 7. The movement of the range from the -:: placement of the connector outside the casing: and the method of the connector, such as the method of claim 6, the position and the position of the second position, the second position and The intermediate position between the second positions maintains contact with the far conductive shell. Alu, 8, such as self-seeking J苜S H Hb*, _L, connector. Method 'where the connector is a universal string Column bus 9 · as eye Item 8 of the ancient, i_jj.. 八 / , /, the universal serial bus bar connector comprises - a metal casing and the spring is integrated with the metal casing. 10 · If 6 strives for the item 9 $ 丄, method Wherein the connector has at least one additional spring extending from the connector. A universal serial busbar non-volatile memory unit comprising: a non-volatile memory system comprising an array of flash memory cells a conductive case enclosing the flash memory system; and a universal serial bus bar connector connected to the flash memory system with a 11-inch universal serial bus bar connector opposite to the conductive case Moving between a retracted position and an extended position, a conductive spring extends between the universal serial bus bar connector and the conductive case to form a conductive between the universal serial bus bar connector and the conductive case 123467.doc 200818991 12·Integration of the memory unit of the request item 其中, wherein the spring is connected to the USB 13^ the memory of the request item 2, the spring system adopts the connection A portion of a metal casing is formed. 14. A memory cell as claimed, wherein the yellowing is formed when the connector is in the extended position, the retracted position, and all positions between the extended position and the retracted position The conductive shell and the conductive path of the connector. 15. A memory unit, wherein the non-volatile memory system is formed on a printed circuit board. 16. The memory unit of claim 15, wherein Mounting the connector on the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board being moveable with the connector. 17. The memory unit of claim U, further comprising at least one additional conductive spring in the universal series A busbar connector extends between the busbar connector and the at least one additional conductive path between the universal serial busbar connector and the conductive shell when the universal serial busbar is in the extended position. 18. A removable non-volatile memory cell comprising: an array of non-volatile memory cells on a semiconductor substrate; a conductive shell extending around the semiconductor substrate; a connector Having a plurality of pins, the connector being in communication with the array of non-volatile memory soap elements, the connector being retracted into the housing in a first position and extending from the housing in a second position; a spring, It forms a conductive path that electrically connects the housing to a portion of the 123467.doc 200818991 connector. 19. The removable non-volatile memory unit of claim 18, wherein the connector is a universal serial bus connector. 20. The removable non-volatile memory unit of claim 19, wherein the portion of the connector is a metal housing and the spring is integrated with the metal housing 0 2 1 • the removable item of claim 11 A volatile memory unit in which the array of non-volatile memory cells form a flash memory array. 22. The removable non-volatile memory unit of claim 11, wherein the semiconductor substrate and the connector are mounted on a printed circuit board. 123467.doc