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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronic signal adapters, and
particularly to electronic signal adapter module of a flash memory card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advance of computer technology, the storage mediums developed from
silicon semiconductor technologies become more and more popular. Flash
memory cards are especially important in the silicon storage medium.
Comparing with the floppy disks and compact disks, the flash memory cards
are convenient, rapid, repeatable, shock-and-wet proofed, and consumes
less power.
Various flash memory cards are developed by for example Sony, TOSHIBA,
Siemens, Matsushita, Samaung, SanDisk, etc. Moreover, the flash memory
cards are widely used to various digital products, such as PAMCIA cards,
Compact Flash cards, SM cards (Smart Media cards), MMC cards (MultiMedia
Cards), MS cards (Memory Stick Cards), SD cards (Secure Digital Cards),
etc.
Flash memory cards are used in various portable digital devices, for
example, digital cameras, digital recorders, PDAs, etc. for storing
drawings, cartoons, music, and other software data. To enhance the data
transformation connected the flash memory cards and mainframes (such as a
personal computer, an industrial computer, a video decorder, etc. ),
various reader for reading data in the flash memory card are developed.
One prior art data reader only serves for one flash memory card, while the
various specifications of flash memory cards are developed. Therefore, one
reader can not match to different kinds of flash memory cards. The
manufactures develop novel devices for supporting different kinds of flash
memory cards so that the user may use flash memory cards conveniently.
However, these prior arts have a defect of poor contact between the pins of
the flash memory card and the conductive elements of an electronic signal
adapter module. FIG. 1 shows a reader for supporting various flash memory
cards. Since the inlet A of the slots must have a maximum compatible size
for receiving flash memory cards having a larger size, such as SD cards
and MMC cards. Although this prior art design may receive other kinds of
flash memory cards, the positioning and stability of the flash memory
cards are poor. Therefore, the prior art design of FIG. 1 only receives
flash memory cards, but can not afford a preferred positioning and
stability to the flash memory cards. As a consequence, the flash memory
cards are possibly loose, slide or even fall out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve above objects, the present invention provides an electronic
signal adapter module of a flash memory card. A seat serves for storing
one or a plurality of flash memory cards of different specifications.
These flash memory cards uses a same storage space in the seat and are
inserted into the space at different timings. At least one substrate is
combined with the seat. After the flash memory card is inserted into the
seat; the substrate transfers signals between the flash memory cards and a
reading and writing device. An inserted flash memory card is connected to
a reader, thereby, the signals of the flash memory card being sent to the
reader through the electronic signal adapter module. The feature of the
present invention is that one end of the seat for being inserted by a
flash memory card has two wings. Each wing is arranged with an elastic
reed. By the reeds of the two wings, the flash memory card inserted into
the seat generates an elastic force so that the pins on the flash memory
card have preferred contact effect with the conductive elements of the
substrates. Thereby, positioning and signal transformation between the
flash memory card and the electronic signal adapter module are improved
greatly.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more
readily understood from the following detailed description when read in
conjunction with the appended drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a prior art electronic signal adapter module of a flash memory
card.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the application of the data reader of a
flash memory card.
FIG. 5 shows that a SM card is inserted into the signal adapter module of
the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a lateral cross sectional view showing that a SM card is inserted
into the signal adapter module of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an assembled view of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 shows that a SD card is inserted into the signal adapter module of
the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows that an MS card is inserted into the signal adapter module of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic signal adapter module of a flash
memory card of the present invention is illustrated.
The electronic signal adapter module of a flash memory card of the present
invention includes the following components.
A seat 1 serves for storing one or a plurality of flash memory cards of
different specifications. These flash memory cards can use the same
storage space and can be inserted into the space at different timing.
At least one substrate is combined with the seat 1. After the flash memory
card is inserted into the seat 1, the substrate can transfer the signals
between the flash memory cards and a reading and writing device. In this
the present invention, the seat 1 allows a plurality of flash memory cards
to be inserted at different timing. The substrates 11, 12 are arranged at
a top or a bottom of the seat 1. Furthermore, the surfaces of the two
substrates 11, 12 facing toward the seat 1 are installed with conductive
elements 13, 14, and 15 which are arranged to be corresponding to the pins
of flash memory cards inserted into the seat 1.
After the electronic signal adapter module of a flash memory card of the
present invention is formed; a plurality of slots 16 are formed. These
slots can be used by a plurality of different flash memory cards which are
inserted into the slots at different timing. Then the flash memory card is
connected to a flash memory card data reader 2, as illustrated in FIG. 4,
through the connecting components of the substrates. Thereby, the signals
of the flash memory card 3 can be sent to the reader 2 through the
electronic signal adapter module.
The feature of the present invention will be described in the following.
The two wings 1a, 1b at the flash memory card inserting end of the seat 1
are arranged with elastic reeds 41, 42. Referring to FIG. 5, by the reeds
41, 42, the flash memory card 3 inserted into the seat 1 generates an
elastic force (referring to FIGS. 6 and 7) so that the pins 31 on the
flash memory card 3 have preferred contact effect with the conductive
elements of the substrates 11. Thereby, the positioning and signal
transformation between the flash memory card and the electronic signal
adapter module are improved greatly.
In above reeds 41, 42 of the present embodiment, one end of each of the
reeds 41, 42 is connected to an elastic piece 43, 44. Another ends of the
elastic piece 43, 44 face another ends of the reeds 41, 42, respectively,
so as to be connected to the two wings 1a, 1b. Thereby, in normal
condition, the reeds 41, 42 curl upwards.
The two wings 1a, 1b at positions positioning the elastic pieces 43, 44 are
installed with grooves 18, 19 for receiving the elastic pieces 43, 44 and
for adjusting the heights of the reeds 41, 42. Moreover, each of the reeds
41, 42 have respective guide portions 411, 421 at positions adjacent to
the inserting portions of the flash memory card and towards the seat 1 so
that the flash memory card can slide to the reeds 41, 42 successfully.
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the adapter module serves to receive
different flash memory card. FIG. 8 shows an SD card 5 and FIG. 9 shows an
MS card 6. Referring to FIG. 6, since after the SD card is inserted, in
general, the width thereof is smaller than a maximum allowance of the
module. Therefore, the prior art adapter module used with a flash memory
card is possible that the flash memory card is loose or has no preferred
contact ability, while in the present invention, two wings 1a, 1b at the
seat 1 are used to compensate the prior art defect about the flash memory
card. Namely, the sides of the guide portions 411, 421 of the reeds 41, 42
near the flash memory card are installed with notches 412, 422 so that the
flash memory card can be inserted successfully. By the elasticity of the
reeds 41, 42, the flash memory card (SD card) is confined between the
reeds 41, 42 and the substrates 12. Thereby, the flash memory card is
positioned by a preferred way.
The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same
may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a
departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such
modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended
to be included within the scope of the following claims.
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