Patent Application
20170077629
Field of the Disclosure
The disclosed subject matter relates generally to mobile devices and, more particularly, to a combination tray with metal support plates for supporting multiple expansion cards.
Description of the Related Art
Some mobile telephones employ expansion cards, such as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card for storing subscriber identity information, a memory card (e.g., secure digital (SD) card) , a Wi-Fi card, or a combination card (e.g., memory/SIM, Wi-Fi-/SIM, etc.). In some instances, a telephone device may support multiple SIM cards to support multiple subscriber accounts with the same device. For example, each SIM card may be associated with a different country to allow the user to avoid international calling surcharges. Typically, each expansion card is associated with a separate port for receiving the card and a separate connection interface on the phone motherboard. Using multiple ports and connection interfaces consumes valuable real estate on the motherboard, thereby limiting the scaling of the device.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods and devices that may solve or at least reduce some of the problems identified above.
The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerous features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
In various embodiments, the mobile device 100 may be embodied in a handheld or wearable device, such as a telephone device, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a tablet computer, a personal data assistants, a music player, a game device, a wearable computing device, and the like. To the extent certain example aspects of the device 100 are not described herein, such example aspects may or may not be included in various embodiments without limiting the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present application as would be understood by one of skill in the art.
In the illustrated embodiment, the combination tray 115 supports two SIM cards 130, 135 and one uSD card 140. Of course, the particular number of expansion cards and the particular types of expansion cards supported by the combination tray 115 may vary. The combination tray 115 includes first and second recesses 145, 150 defined in the second (e.g., bottom) surface 125 for receiving the SIM cards 130, 135 (see
The support plates 117, 118 are electrically isolated from one another by a portion 205 (see
The contacts 230 are supported by a housing 235 that elevates the contacts 230 with respect to the surface of the circuit board 215 to a height greater than that of the contacts 220, 225. Referring to
The combination tray 115 provides a compact mechanism for holding multiple memory cards 130, 135, 140 and allowing the memory cards to be engaged with the circuit board 215 in a common access area using a single port 110. The support plates 117, 118 provide structural support fort the molded body 119, and the electrical separation between the plates 117, 118 reduces noise generated by the memory cards 130, 135, 140.
A device includes a tray including first and second support plates and a body having first and second surfaces. A portion of the body electrically isolates the first support plate from the second support plate and a first recess is defined in the body. A circuit board includes first contacts positioned proximate the first recess.
A device includes a circuit board having first contacts, a casing coupled to the circuit board, the casing partially defining a port that exposes a portion of the circuit board, and a tray removably positioned proximate the circuit board through the port. The tray includes first and second support plates and a body having first and second surfaces. A portion of the body electrically isolates the first support plate from the second support plate and a first recess is defined in the body. The first contacts are positioned proximate the first recess.
The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the invention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. For example, the process steps set forth above may be performed in a different order. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention. Note that the use of terms, such as “first,” “second,” “third” or “fourth” to describe various processes or structures in this specification and in the attached claims is only used as a shorthand reference to such steps/structures and does not necessarily imply that such steps/structures are performed/formed in that ordered sequence. Of course, depending upon the exact claim language, an ordered sequence of such processes may or may not be required. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the claims below.
