The subject matter disclosed herein relates to memory devices and, more particularly, to universal serial bus (USB) memory devices having first and second parts.
Modern aircraft, such as helicopters and other rotorcraft, often include a panel within the cockpit or cabin. This panel includes various information gages and control elements including, but not limited to, a panel plug having a universal serial bus (USB) connector to which a corresponding USB memory device may be connected. This memory device can be used to carry information vital to aircraft flight controls and/or other aircraft operations and needs to be connected to the panel plug for the aircraft to be operable.
Since the connection between the USB memory device and the panel plug is important, when the connection is not made the panel plug is normally capped by a cap that protects the plug and prevents ingress of dust and/or sand into the plug components. The cap may be uncoupled to the panel or coupled to the panel by loose, flexible wiring that allows the cap to be easily removed from or secured to the plug. In either case, when the cap is removed from the plug, it is relatively unsecured within the cockpit or cabin.
In a similar fashion, the USB memory device has components that also should be protected from the environment. Thus, any protective element used for the USB memory device will also be relatively unsecured within the cockpit or cabin when the USB memory device is connected to the panel plug.
According to one aspect of the invention, a memory device includes first and second parts. The first part includes a plug receiver configured for reception of a plug and a head coupled to the plug receiver. The second part includes a cap end and a dummy socket coupled to the cap end. The dummy socket includes a first portion insertible into the plug receiver and a second portion configured for reception of the head. The cap end is configured for placement thereon of a cap, which is disposable over the plug.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the plug receiver includes a male universal serial bus (USB) element compatible with a female USB element of the plug.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the plug receiver includes inner and outer tubular members.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the plug receiver includes a first grip element.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the second part includes a second grip element.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the head and the second portion include complementary connection features.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the complementary connection features of the head and the second portion respectively include inner and outer threading.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, respective outer surfaces of the cap end and the plug include similar connection features.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the similar connection features complement corresponding connection features of the cap.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the similar connection features of the cap end and the plug and the corresponding connection features of the cap respectively include inner and outer threading.
According to another aspect of the invention, a universal serial bus (USB) memory device is provided for use with a normally capped panel plug. The USB memory device includes a plug receiver configured for reception of the panel plug with the panel plug uncapped and a head coupled to and opposite the plug receiver, the head being configured for placement thereon of the cap.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the plug receiver includes inner and outer tubular members and an outer diameter portion having a grip element.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, respective outer surfaces of the plug receiver and the panel plug include similar connection features.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the similar connection features complement corresponding connection features of the cap.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, the similar connection features of the plug receiver and the panel plug and the corresponding connection features of the cap respectively include inner and outer threading.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
As will be described below, a universal serial bus (USB) memory device is provided for use with a panel plug of an aircraft, for example. The USB memory device includes protective elements that protect the USB connectors on the USB memory device and allows for a connection of the panel plug cap to either the USB memory device or the protective elements.
With reference to
When the memory device 10 is not connected to the plug 1, the plug 1 may be capped by a cap 3 (see
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In accordance with embodiments, an outer surface of the inner tubular member 2102 may be keyed in accordance with the keying features 51 of the outer body 5. Also, in surrounding the outer body 50 of the plug 1, the outer tubular member 2103 has an inner diameter that is large enough to encompass the inner threading disposed on the exterior facing surface of the outer body 5. In particular, the outer tubular member 2103 has an inner diameter that is large enough to tightly encompass this inner threading.
In addition, the plug receiver 21 may include an outer diameter portion 23 having a first grip element 230 (see
As shown in
As shown in
The second part 30 may also include a central outer diameter portion 33 having a second grip element 330 interposed between the cap end 31 and the dummy socket 32. In accordance with embodiments, the second grip element 330 may have a hexagonal or polygonal shape with relatively small exterior facing grooves aligned along or transverse to a longitudinal length of the second part 30 or in parallel with the grooves of the first grip element 230.
In accordance with embodiments, an outer surface 223 of the first side 220 of the head 22 may include connection features 224 and the inner diameter portion 3202 of the first side of the dummy socket 32 may include complementary connection features. In accordance with embodiments, the connection features 224 and the complementary connection features may be provided as inner and outer threading such that a connection between the head 22 and the dummy socket 32 can be secured especially with the plug receiver 21 disposed to receive the plug 1. That is, with the plug receiver 21 disposed to receive the plug 1, the dummy socket 32 is removed from the plug receiver 21 and can be securely fastened to the head 22 in lieu of being unsecured within, for example, an aircraft cabin.
In accordance with further embodiments, the cap end 31 of the second part 30 of the memory device 10 has an outer surface 312 on which connection features 313 are disposed. These connection features 313 may be similar to those of the exterior facing surface of the outer body 5 of the plug 1. That is, the connection features 313 may be provided as inner threading that complements the outer threading of the interior facing surface of the cap 3. Thus, with the cap 3 removed from the plug 1 and with the dummy socket 32 either received in the plug receiver 21 or fastened to the head 22, the cap 3 may be securely disposed over the cap end 31 in lieu of being unsecured within, for example, the aircraft cabin.
With the configurations described above, a method of using the memory device 10 with the plug 1 will now be described. At an initial instance, the cap 3 is removed from the plug 1 by rotation of the cap 3 in accordance with the direction of the plug-cap threading. Also, the second part 30 of the memory device 10 may be removed from the first part 20 by withdrawing the dummy socket 32 out of the second annulus 2104. Next, the first part 20 may be installed on the panel 2 by having the plug receiver 21 receive the plug 3 such that the male USB element 2101 occupies the space 41 defined within the female USB element 40, the inner tubular member 2102 is disposed within the first annulus 50 and the outer tubular member 2103 radially surrounds the outer body 5 of the plug 1 with the outer body 5 disposed within the second annulus 2104. Also, the second part 30 may be installed on the head 22 by disposing the inner diameter portion 302 of the dummy socket 32 on the head 22 and rotating the second part 30 in accordance with the head-dummy socket threading or otherwise engaging connection features 224 of the head 22 with the complementary connection features of the inner diameter portion 3202. Finally, the cap 3 may be installed on the second part 30 by disposing the interior facing surface of the cap 3 on the outer surface 312 of the cap end 31 and rotating the cap 3 in accordance with the cap end-cap threading or otherwise engaging the connection features 313 of the cap end 31 with the complementary connection features of the interior facing surface of the cap 3.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention and, as shown in
As shown in
Although the various connection features are described above and illustrated in the drawings as being provided as inner and outer threading, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely exemplary and is not required. Indeed, any one or more of the various connection features may have alternative structures that need not correspond to those of the other connection features. For example, where inner and outer threading is provided for the plug-cap interface and for the cap end-cap interface, the connection features of the head-dummy socket interface may be provided as a keying element, some other suitable mechanical interference element or a frictional engagement.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
The present application is a 371 National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/050963, filed on Sep. 18, 2015, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/081,822, filed on Nov. 19, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
This invention was made with government support under TUHP, TAA 3604-09A. The government has certain rights in the invention.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2015/050963 | 9/18/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2016/081059 | 5/26/2016 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6932276 | Liu | Aug 2005 | B1 |
6999322 | Lin | Feb 2006 | B1 |
7029193 | Chao | Apr 2006 | B1 |
7153148 | Chen et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7214075 | He et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
7341464 | Cuellar et al. | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7416424 | Deckman | Aug 2008 | B1 |
7448905 | Lin | Nov 2008 | B1 |
7503780 | Huang | Mar 2009 | B1 |
7568942 | Lannon et al. | Aug 2009 | B1 |
7713082 | Lin | May 2010 | B2 |
20040095829 | Barnbrook | May 2004 | A1 |
20040233629 | Wang | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20050070138 | Chiou et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20080020633 | Montgomery et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080064271 | Hiew et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080189486 | Nguyen | Aug 2008 | A1 |
20140328076 | Firman, II | Nov 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
201910976 | Jul 2011 | CN |
202167244 | Mar 2012 | CN |
03063174 | Jul 2003 | WO |
Entry |
---|
International Search Report and Written Opinion of the International Search Authority dated Dec. 18, 2015 in related PCT Application No. PCT/US2015/050963, 8 pages. |
Supplementary Partial European Search Report dated Jul. 26, 2018 in related PCT Application No. PCT/US2015/0505963, 9 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20170331239 A1 | Nov 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62081822 | Nov 2014 | US |