Patent Application
20090061690
The present invention relates to an apparatus that can be detachably connected to different memory-card type adapters and can therefore be plugged in any type of memory-card socket provided on a computer via one memory-card type adapter that corresponds to the memory-card socket.
An electronic product, such as a notebook computer, is usually provided on a main unit thereof with one or more universal serial bus (USB) sockets, to which different peripherals are electrically connected for use, and one or two memory-card sockets, in which a memory card may be plugged to allow access of data stored in the memory card.
In practical use, the memory-card sockets are not so frequently used as the USB sockets. Therefore, there are times the USB sockets on the notebook computer are not sufficient for use while there are still unused memory-card sockets.
To fully utilize the memory-card sockets, attempts have been made to provide a memory-card socket that serves as a connecting port not only for connecting general memory cards, but also different peripherals to a computer. For this purpose, the peripheral may include a memory-card shaped plug adapter. The peripheral including a memory-card shaped plug adapter is referred to as a memory-card type peripheral. Examples of the memory-card type peripherals include memory-card type digital camera, memory-card type network transmission equipment, etc. By plugging the memory-card shaped plug adapter in a memory-card socket on a computer, the memory-card type peripheral may be used with the computer.
However, the currently commercially available memory cards have various configurations and specifications, such as SECURE DIGITAL (SD card) 11, as shown in
A primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus with detachably connected memory-card type adapter to reduce the cost for manufacturing the memory-card type peripherals, and to enable more convenient use of the memory-card type peripherals.
To achieve the above and other objects, the present invention includes an electronic apparatus being provided at one side with an adapting plate, on at least one side surface of which there is provided with connecting lines, and a memory-card type adapter detachably connected to the apparatus through engagement of a socket provided at a front end of the adapter with the adapting plate on the apparatus. Elastic contact terminals are provided in the socket to electrically connect to the connecting lines on the adapting plate when the latter is inserted into the socket. The apparatus is adapted to plug in any type of memory-card socket provided on a computer through engagement of the adapting plate on the apparatus with one memory-card type adapter that corresponds to the memory-card socket on the computer.
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
Please refer to
The apparatus 3 is an electronic product such as a wireless network transmission apparatus, a digital camera, and the like. The apparatus 3 is provided at a predetermined position with an adapting plate 31, on at least one side surface of which, such as an upper surface thereof, there is provided with connecting lines 311.
The memory-card type adapter 4, as suggested by its name, is an adapter having a configuration of a memory card, and may include, for example, an SD-card type adapter 41, an MS-card type adapter 42, and a CF-card type adapter 43. As can be more clearly seen from
With the above arrangements, it is possible for the apparatus 3 to selectively use with any one of the above-mentioned memory-card type adapters 41, 42, 43. In the case the apparatus 3 is to connect to a notebook computer, the type or types of the memory-card socket or sockets (not shown) on the computer determine the type or types of the memory-card type adapter or adapters 4 that are to be selected for use with the apparatus 3. More specifically, if the notebook computer to which the apparatus 3 is to connect has, for example, an SD-card socket provided thereon, then the SD-card type adapter 41 matching the SD-card socket is selected for detachably connecting to the apparatus 3 via the adapting plate 31. When the apparatus 3 is to connect to another computer that provides a different type of memory-card socket, for example, an MS-card socket, a user needs only to disengage the old SD-card type adapter 41 from the adapting-plate 31 on the apparatus 3 and engage a separate MS-card type adapter 42 with the adapting plate 31, and the apparatus 3 may be plugged in the MS-card socket on the other computer via the MS-card type adapter 42. Similarly, a CF-card type adapter 43 or any other differently configured memory-card type adapter may be detachably engaged with the adapting plate 31 for the apparatus 3 to plug in a corresponding type of memory-card socket on any other computer. Therefore, the same one apparatus 3 is adapted to plug in different memory-card sockets on different computers via different memory-card type adapters 4. In this manner, a manufacturer need not prepare at high costs multiple sets of molds for producing the same type of apparatus having different memory-card plug adapters, and the user need not buy at high expenses multiple peripherals that are of the same type but respectively have different memory-card plug adapters. It is very economical and convenient for the user to buy only one type of apparatus that is adapted to plug in any type of memory-card socket on a computer simply by selecting and connecting to a memory-card type adapter 41, 42 or 43 that corresponds to the memory-card socket on the computer.
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The fastening means 5 includes a pair of retaining notches 51 provided at two lateral ends of the adapting plate 31 on the apparatus 3, and a left and a right latch hook 52, 53 located in the memory-card adapter at two lateral sides of the socket 44. The left latch hook 52 includes a rear transverse arm portion 521 that extends rightward to project a free end from a right opening 46 provided on a right sidewall of the adapter 4; and the right latch hook 53 includes a rear transverse arm portion 531 that extends leftward to project a free end from a left opening 47 provided on a left sidewall of the adapter 4. A spring 54 is mounted between the two rear transverse arm portions 521 and 531.
The spring 54 normally pushes the two rear transverse arm portions 521 and 531 outward and thereby brings the left latch hook 52 and the right latch hook 53 to move toward each other and firmly engage with the two retaining notches 51 provided at two lateral ends of the adapting plate 31 inserted into the socket 44, so that the adapter 4 is firmly connected to the apparatus 3.
When it is desired to detach the memory-card type adapter 4 from the apparatus 3, the free ends of the two rear transverse arm portions 521 and 531 are inward pushed at the same time, so that the left and the right latch hook 52, 53 are moved away from one another to increase a distance between them. When the left and the right latch hook 52, 53 are sufficiently moved outward to finally disengage from the retaining notches 51 on the adapting plate 31, the apparatus 3 may be easily detached from the adapter 4. Therefore, the fastening means 5 allows the apparatus 4 to securely connect to and conveniently detach from the adapter 4.
