Detachable anti-write device for a memory card

A detachable anti-write device for a memory card includes: an insulated housing including an upper cover and a lower cover which are connected to each other; and an anti-write switch disposed a lateral edge of the insulated housing and connected to the insulated housing by a break away connecting member. The anti-write device can be irreversibly broken and detached from the memory card, therefore is capable of improving the security of the data stored in the memory card.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an anti-wire device for a memory card, and more particularly to an irreversibly detachable anti-write device for a memory card.

Related Prior Art

As memory card, SD (secure digital memory card) has found wide application in portable devices, such as digital cameras, personal digital assistant (PDA) multimedia player, and etc. SD card is based on MMC (multimedia card) format, but is slightly thicker than MMC. SD cards provide faster data transmission and constantly updates standard. Most the SD cards are designed with anti-write protection, and a small portion of the SD cards even support DRM (digital right management).

The anti-write protection switch is disposed at a lateral surface of the SD card. The SD card will be anti-write protected, namely, can be read only but cannot be written when the anti-write protection switch is switched on. Write is allowed only when the anti-write protection switch is switch off. Some SD cards are designed with no anti-write protection since the anti-write protection switch is optional. The anti-write protection switch works in the same way as the anti-write protection of the cassette tape, VHS tape, and the computer disk. The card will become a write-only card, if the anti-write protection switch is broken.

Therefore, based on the conventional anti-write protection design, the present invention provides an irreversibly detachable anti-write device for a memory card, the anti-write device will be thrown away and cannot be used again once broken, which makes the SD card become a read-only memory card.

SUMMARY

The present invention is aimed at providing an irreversibly detachable anti-write device for a memory card, which is capable of improving the security of the data stored in the memory card, and solving the disadvantage of the conventional anti-write device that the conventional anti-write switch is a slide member to control locking and unlocking of the memory card.

Therefore, a detachable anti-write device for a memory card in accordance with the present invention, comprises: an insulated housing including an upper cover and a lower cover which are connected to each other; and an anti-write switch disposed a lateral edge of the insulated housing and connected to the insulated housing by a break away connecting member.

Preferably, the anti-write switch is disposed in a cavity formed in the lateral edge of the insulated housing.

Preferably, the break away connecting member has a first end connected to the bottom surface and a second end connected to the anti-write switch, and the first end is smaller in diameter than the second end.

Preferably, the break away connecting member has an average thickness less than 0.3 cm.

Preferably, the anti-write switch has a length smaller than or equal to a height of an inner surface of the cavity.

Preferably, the anti-write switch has a width smaller than or equal to a width of the lateral edge of the insulated housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, a detachable anti-write device for a memory card in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises: an insulated housing20and an anti-write switch30.

The insulated housing20includes an upper cover21and a lower cover22. The upper cover21is provided around a peripheral edge thereof with four engaging holes (not shown) for engaging with four engaging members221formed around a peripheral edge of the lower cover22, so that the upper and lower covers21,22are seamlessly connected together to form the insulated housing20to accommodate an electronic card (not shown).

The anti-write switch30, as shown inFIGS. 1-3, the anti-write switch30is disposed in a cavity23formed in a lateral edge of the insulated housing20. The cavity23is formed by corresponding concave structures of the upper and lower covers21,22. When the insulated housing20is closed, the cavity23is formed and includes a bottom surface231and two opposite inner surfaces232. The anti-write switch30has a length smaller than or equal to a height of the inner surfaces232of the cavity23, and has a width smaller than or equal to a width of the lateral edge of the insulated housing20. By such arrangements, the anti-write switch30is flush with the peripheral edge of the insulated housing20.

At the concave structure of the lower cover22is provided a break away connecting member31which is connected to the anti-write switch30and extends from the bottom surface231of the cavity23. The break away connecting member31has a first end311connected to the bottom surface231and a second end312connected to the anti-write switch30. As shown inFIG. 3which is a cross sectional view, the break away connecting member31includes a slanting surface40inclined from the anti-write switch30toward the insulated housing20, which means that the first end311is smaller in diameter than the second end312. Plus, the break away connecting member31has an average thickness less than 0.3 cm, as a result, the break away connecting member31is strong enough to support the anti-write switch30, but can be easily broken by the user to remove the break away connecting member31from the insulated housing20.

FIG. 1shows that the detachable anti-write device for a memory card in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is in a writable-and-readable condition, in which the anti-write switch30is connected to the insulated housing20. In this condition, if the memory card is inserted in a memory device (not shown), the anti-write switch30will be detected and found by the memory device, and then the memory device is allowed to read or write the memory card. As shown inFIG. 4, the detachable anti-write device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is in a read-only condition, in which the break away connecting member31is broken, and the anti-write switch30is therefore removed. In this condition, when the memory card is inserted in a memory device (not shown), the memory device cannot find the anti-write switch30and therefore will only be able to read the memory card.