BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box for receiving a memory card device in accordance with the present invention, wherein a dual-interface memory card and an adaptor are received in the box.
FIG. 2 is an elevation of the box in FIG. 1, wherein a lid of the box is removed.
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, wherein the memory card is removed from the box.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the other side of the memory card in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating receiving of a single-interface memory card in the box.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the box, wherein the memory card and the adaptor are removed from the box.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the box in FIG. 6, wherein a retaining member is removed from the box.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the retaining member.
FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of the lid of the box in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a partially engaged view of FIG. 2, illustrating operation of the retaining member.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the box in accordance with the present invention, wherein three memory cards and two adaptors are received in the box.
FIG. 12 is an elevation of the box in FIG. 11, wherein a lid is removed from the box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A box in accordance with the present invention can be used to receive a memory card device. The term “memory card device” used herein means at least one memory card and/or at least one adaptor. The memory card may be a dual-interface memory card 30 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 or a single-interface memory card 31 shown in FIG. 5.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an end of the box 10 includes an opening or slot 13a through which the memory card device is inserted into a compartment 13 defined in the box 10. An opening 15 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) is defined in a perimeter wall defining the compartment 13. A mounting space (not labeled) is defined between this perimeter wall and a side of the box 10. The side of the box 20 includes a slot 14. In this example, the box 10 includes a body 12 and a lid 11 coupled with the body 12 via a plurality of hooks 17 and engaging notches 18, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9. A through-hole 19 is defined in a corner of the box 10 for mounting a key ring (not labeled).
A retaining member 20 is pivotally mounted in the mounting space of the box 10 by a pivot 16 (see FIGS. 5-7) that is formed in the box 10 and that extends through a pivot hole 23 in an intermediate portion of the retaining member 20. The retaining member 20 includes a first end 21 extending outside the box 10 via the slot 14 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) for manual operation. The retaining member 20 further includes a second end (not labeled) with a hook 22 extending through the opening 15 into the compartment 13 of the box 10. A resilient member 24 biases the hook 22 of the retaining member 20 into the compartment 13 via the opening 15. Referring to FIG. 6, in this example, the resilient member 24 has an end 25 integral with the second end of the retaining member 20. The other movable end 26 of the resilient member 24 presses against an extension extending inward from a perimeter wall of the box 10. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, a stop 27 is provided on the first end 21 of the resilient member 24. The stop 27 presses against an inner wall of the box 10 to control the position of the first end 21 of the retaining member 20.
In the example shown in FIG. 2, a dual-interface memory card 30 is received in an adapter 34, which, in turn, is received in the compartment 13 of the box 10. Referring to FIG. 4, the memory card 30 includes a USB interface 36 and a read/write interface 37. The memory card 30 can be removed from the adaptor 34 for use (see FIG. 3). More specifically, the USB interface 36 of the memory card 30 can be coupled with a USB socket (not shown) for data saving/reading operations. Alternatively, the memory card 30 and the adaptor 34 can be together removed from the box 10 for use. More specifically, the memory card 30 is converted into, e.g., an SD card, an MS card, or a memory card of another type by mounting the memory card 30 with a read/write interface 37 in the adaptor 30.
The adaptor 34 includes a positioning groove 38 in a side thereof. When the adaptor 34 is received in the compartment 13 of the box 10, the positioning notch 38 is aligned with the opening 15 of the box 10. Referring to FIG. 2, the hook 22 of the retaining member 20 is biased by the resilient member 24 into the positioning groove 38 of the adaptor 34. Thus, the memory card 30 and the adaptor 34 are reliably retained in place in the compartment 13 of the box 10. With reference to FIG. 10, the first end 21 of the retaining member 20 can be pressed to disengage the hook 22 from the positioning groove 38 of the adaptor 34, allowing removal of the adapter 34 from the box 10. When the adapter 34 is reinserted into the compartment 13 of the box 10, the hook 22 is pushed outward and then-returns to engage with the positioning groove 38 of the adaptor 34 under the action of the resilient member 24.
Referring to FIG. 5, the memory card may be a single-interface memory card 31 having a positioning groove 39 to allow reliable positioning in the compartment 13 of the box 10 in a manner similar to the example shown in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate another example of the invention. In this example, the box (now designated by 101) includes a plurality of compartments 131, 132, and 133 for respectively receiving, e.g., a memory card 30 and its SD adapter 34, a memory card 32 and its MS adapter 35, and another memory card 33. It is noted that corresponding elements and structures are provided for allowing reliable positioning of the respective memory cards 30, 32, and 33 and associated adapters 34 and 35.
As apparent from the foregoing, the box 10, 101 in accordance with the present invention is capable of reliably retaining a memory card device in place without the risk of undesired disengagement of the memory card device due to external force or shock.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.
Patent Application
20080011628
