Memory module

A memory module includes a plurality of memory units and an assembling holder. Each of the memory units includes a memory substrate, at least a memory chipset having a predetermined memory capacity mounted on the memory substrate, and an electric terminal provided at a lower edge portion of the memory substrate. The assembling holder includes an elongated unit housing having an elongated receiving slot extended therealong and a signal terminal provided along the unit housing, wherein the electric terminals of the memory substrates are detachably inserted into the receiving slot of the unit housing to electrically connect the electric terminals with the signal terminal, such that the memory units are alignedly and detachably mounted along the receiving slot in an edge to edge manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to memory module, and more particularly to a memory module comprising a plurality of individual memory units electrically connected with an elongated unit housing for conducting with a memory slot of a motherboard. Thus, individual memory units are detachably combined to form a memory module so as to maximize maintenance flexibility and minimize operation inconvenience.

2. Description of Related Arts

Memory modules are a kind of standardized component widely used in electrical products such as desktop computers, laptop computers, industrial computers, and printers. Along with the advance of information technology, the world witnesses that the memory capacity of the memory device has been volumetrically expanded and meanwhile, the retrieving speed from the memory device has been significantly reduced. However, the principal structure of the memory device has never been improved to comply with this dramatic change. Commonly, a conventional memory module comprises a unified substrate and a plurality of memory chips spacedly provided on the unified substrate. In case where the unified substrate is damaged, all memory chips, which are welded on the unified substrate, have to be detached from unified substrate first, and then be welded on a new substrate. On the other hand, if the memory chip is damaged, the above mentioned repairing procedure is followed too. Accordingly, the damaged memory chip must be detached from the unified substrate in order to replace a brand new memory chip thereon. As a result, this kind of time consuming and laborious reparation procedure virtually burdened the costs of memory module.

In addition, providing an efficient after-sales service is an advantageous business method in a highly competitive marketing environment today. It is unquestionable that a prolonged repairing period of memory module will be harmful to the service reputation of the manufactures among customers. Moreover, the suppliers of the memory module have to maintain a quantity of memory module stock for potential reparations and exchanges from customers, therefore causing an unnecessary increase of the cost and some undesirable dead stock.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide a memory module comprising a plurality of individual memory units electrically connected with an elongated unit housing for conducting with a memory slot of a motherboard. In other words, individual memory units are detachably combined to form a memory module so as to maximize maintenance flexibility and minimize operation inconvenience.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory module wherein each individual memory unit can be easily replaced if defective so as to minimize the cost and the time required for the relevant maintenance procedure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory module which would minimize the stock required for maintenance so as to minimize the cost of maintenance or warranty and therefore ultimately the selling price of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a memory module which is compatible with typical motherboards so as to universalize for widespread application of the present invention.

Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a memory module, comprising:

a plurality of memory units, each of which comprises a memory substrate, at least a memory chipset having a predetermined memory capacity mounted on the memory substrate, and an electric terminal provided at a lower edge portion of the memory substrate; and

an assembling holder comprising an elongated unit housing having an elongated receiving slot extended therealong and a signal terminal provided along the unit housing, wherein the electric terminals of the memory substrates are detachably inserted into the receiving slot of the unit housing to electrically connect the electric terminals with the signal terminal, such that the memory units are alignedly and detachably mounted along the receiving slot in an edge to edge manner.

These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention would become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 1toFIG. 4of the drawings, a memory module for inserting into a memory holder30of a motherboard is illustrated, in which the memory module comprises a plurality of memory units, and an assembling holder20.

Each of the memory units comprises a memory substrate10, which is preferably embodied as a circuit board, at least a memory chipset11having a predetermined memory capacity electrically mounted on the memory substrate10through a chipset terminal12, and an electric terminal13provided at a lower edge portion of the memory substrate10.

The assembling holder20comprises an elongated unit housing201having at least an elongated receiving slot21extended therealong, and a signal terminal22provided along the unit housing201, wherein the electric terminals13of the memory substrates10are detachably inserted into the receiving slot21of the unit housing201to electrically connect the electric terminals13with the signal terminal22, such that the memory units are alignedly and detachably mounted along the receiving slot21in an edge to edge manner. According to the preferred embodiment, the elongated unit housing201has a plurality of receiving slots21spacedly formed therealong wherein the plurality of memory units are inserted into the receiving slots21respectively.

The assembling holder20further comprises two side retaining arms202upwardly and integrally extended from two ends of the elongated unit housing202to form a U-shape structure for substantially retaining the memory units which are inserted into the respective receiving slots21. Each of the side retaining arms202has an inner engaging slot23formed therealong wherein an outer edge portion of the memory substrate10of two outermost memory units are engaged with the respective inner engaging slot23so as to fittedly yet detachably mount within the assembling holder20.

In other words, when the memory units are alignedly mounted along the receiving slot21, the memory units would be held between the two side retaining arms202so as to substantially retain them in position along the respective receiving slots21.

In order to further enhance the engagement between the side retaining arms202and the respective memory units, and to protect the memory substrate10from potential damage, each of the outermost memory substrates10further has an engaging tracks15formed on an outer side edge portion thereof, wherein the engaging tracks15are slidably engaged with the corresponding engaging slots23so as to securely retain and support the memory units within the assembling holder20. Moreover, each of the memory substrates10is shaped and sized in such a manner that when they are inserted into the respective receiving slot21, each of the memory substrates10is fittedly and tightly biasing against the adjacent memory substrate10to form a secure structure.

For the purpose of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the memory holder30is one which is typically provided in a conventional motherboard for a computer system. The memory holder30usually has an elongated memory slot32for receiving the memory module, and comprises a plurality of data terminals33provided in the memory slot32for electrically connecting the memory module with the motherboard, and two holding arms31operatively extended from two ends of the memory slot32to engage with the memory module for securely retaining it in position in the memory slot32.

Referring toFIG. 1,FIG. 2andFIG. 3of the drawings, each of the retaining arms202further has a mounting slot24indently formed on an outer side thereof and adapted for engaging with the respective holding arm31of the memory holder30.

Referring toFIG. 4of the drawings, the assembling holder20further has a conductive element26provided along an inner wall of the receiving slot21of the elongated unit housing201wherein a contacting portion14of each of the electric terminals13of each of the memory substrates10is electrically contacted with the conductive element26, which is also electrically contacted with the signal terminal22, when it is inserted into the receiving slot21. In other words, each of the memory units is electrically connected with each other through the conductive element26in the elongated unit housing201through the respective electric terminal13.

Furthermore, it is worth illustrating, as inFIG. 4, that when the memory module is inserted into the memory holder30on the motherboard, the signal terminal22of the assembling holder20is arranged to electrically connect with the data terminal33of the memory holder30such that electronic data from the memory substrate10and the memory chipset11can be transferred to the motherboard through the signal terminal22and the data terminal33.

Referring toFIG. 2toFIG. 3of the drawings, the assembling holder20further comprises an Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM)25electrically connected with one of the memory substrate10so as to comprehensively handle data from the individual memory substrates10and the respective memory chipsets11. It is of course worth mentioning that all information transferred between the memory units and the motherboard must be accomplished through the electric terminal13, the conductive element26, and the signal terminal22.

From the foregoing description, it could be seen that the above-mentioned objects have been substantially accomplished. When one or more memory units are found defective, a service provider may simply need to detach the defective memory unit from the assembling holder20and replace a new one. In other words, unless all the memory units1are defective and need replacement, the procedures, complexity, time, and the cost for maintenance of the present invention can be substantially minimized.

Referring toFIG. 5of the drawings, a first alternative mode of the memory module of the present invention is illustrated. The first alternative mode is similar to the above-mentioned preferred embodiment except that there is only one single elongated receiving slot21′ on the assembling holder20′ wherein the signal terminal22′ is also provided on the elongated unit housing201′. Furthermore, the electric terminals13′ are downwardly extended from the respective memory substrate10′ to reach the elongated receiving slot21′ in such a manner that the contacting portion14′ of the respective electric terminal13′ is electrically connected with the conductive element26.

As in the preferred embodiment, the mounting slots24′ are formed on the side retaining arm202′ so as to engage with the memory holder30of the motherboard. The memory chipset11′ is electrically mounted on the respective memory substrate10′ through the respective chipset terminal12′. As such, each of the memory units is detachably assembled to the assembling holder20′ so as to form the memory module for a computer system. The engaging tracks15′ also help in retaining the memory substrates10′ in position within the assembling holder20′.

Referring toFIG. 6toFIG. 7of the drawings, a second alternative mode of the memory module according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The second alternative mode is similar to the above-mentioned preferred embodiment as shown inFIG. 1toFIG. 4, except that the assembling holder20″ further comprises a plurality of reinforcing arms27″ each of which is upwardly extended from the elongated unit housing201″ between the two retaining arms202″ to evenly divide the receiving slot21″ into a plurality of slot portions therebetween, wherein each of the slot portions allows at least one of the memory units to be alignedly mounted therealong so as to guide the memory units to align with the receiving slot21″. Each of the reinforcing arms27″ has two elongated reinforcing slots271″ formed along two sides thereof for engaging with the respective memory substrate10″. In other words, opposed outer side edge portions of the memory substrates10″ in a particular slot portion are slidably engaged with the respective reinforcing slots271″ so as to prevent unwanted movements of those memory units in that respective slot portion. Moreover, the two side retaining arms202″ can be formed as two reinforcing arms27″ having only one reinforcing slot271″ wherein the respective inner engaging slot23″ forms as the reinforcing slot271″.

Accordingly, the each of the memory substrates10″ further has an engaging track15″ formed on a side edge portion of each of the memory substrate10″ for engaging with the corresponding reinforcing slots271″ of the reinforcing arms27″. According to the second alternative mode, each of the partitions is arranged to receive two of the memory substrates10″ each of which is engaged with the respective reinforcing slot271″. Thus, a length of each of the partition equals a sum of the length of two adjacent memory substrates10″ such that they are capable of being fittedly supported within the respective partition. Obviously, each of the memory units1″ are received in the receiving slot21″ formed on the elongated unit housing201″ to form the memory module, as shown inFIG. 7of the drawings.

As in the preferred embodiment, the mounting slots24″ are formed on the reinforcing arms27″ (side retaining arm202″) so as to engage with the memory holder30of the motherboard. The memory chipset11″ is electrically mounted on the respective memory substrate10″ through the respective chipset terminal12″. As such, each of the memory units is detachably assembled to the assembling holder20″ so as to form the memory module for a computer system.

Referring toFIG. 8toFIG. 11of the drawings, a third alternative mode of the present invention according to the above preferred embodiment is illustrated. The third alternative mode is similar to the preferred embodiment except that the assembling holder20A further comprises an elongated retention member4A pivotally supported on top of the memory substrates10A between the two side retaining arms202A for substantially restricting a lateral movement of the memory units within the assembling holder20A so as fortify an overall strength of said memory module of the present invention.

Specifically, the retention member4A has one pivot end pivotally mounted to a top end of one of the side retaining arms202A through a pivot hole41A, a connecting hole28A, and a pivot member42A wherein another opposed detachable end of the retention member4A is pivotally moved on top of the memory substrates10A and the memory chipsets11A to detachably mount with a top end of the opposed side retaining arms202A.

Moreover, the retention member4A further has a securing slot40A longitudinally and indently extended therealone between the pivot end and the detachable end in such a manner that when the retention member4A is pivotally mounted between the two side retaining arms202A, a top edge portion of each of the memory substrate10A is arranged to receive in the securing slot40A such that the memory substrates10A can be substantially retained in position within the assembling holder20A.

Referring toFIG. 8andFIG. 11of the drawings, the assembling holder20A further comprises means for detachably mounting the retention member4A to the side retaining arm202A. The mounting means contains a latching slot43A indently formed on a sidewall of the securing slot40A, and comprises a mounting latch29A slightly protruded from a top portion of the respective side retaining arm202A in such a manner that when the retention member4A is pivotally moved to communicate with the side retaining arm202A, the latching slot43A is engaged with the mounting latch29A so as to detachably mount the retention member4A firmly on the assembling holder20A.

From the forgoing description, it can be shown that the assembling holder20A, which assembles all the memory units10A, can be mounted onto the memory holder30A wherein the elongated unit housing201A is inserted into the memory slot32A so that the signal terminal22A is arranged to contact with the data terminal33A. On the other hands, the holding arms31A of the memory holder30A are adapted to detachably mount with the respective side retaining arm202A.

Obviously, as in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the memory chipset11A is electrically mounted on the memory substrate10A via the chipset terminal12A. Moreover, the electric terminal13A of the memory substrate10A is inserted into the elongated unit22A wherein the conductive element26A is to electrically connect the contracting portions14A of the electric terminal13A.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and describe-ed above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.