Flash drive and operating method thereof

A flash drive including a storage element, a housing, and an integrating member is provided. The storage element has a first connector and a second connector. The integrating member is pivoted to the storage member and coupled to the housing, wherein the integrating member and the housing move relatively in a first path or a second path. The integrating member and the housing move relatively along the first path, such that the first connector is extended outside or hidden inside the housing. The integrating member and the housing move relatively along the second path and drive the storage element to move relative to the integrating member, such that the second connector is extended outside or hidden in the integrating member. An operating method of flash drive is also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 102137941, filed on Oct. 21, 2013. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a flash drive and more particularly, to a flash drive having a plurality of connectors.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional floppy disk in 1.44 MB features in its portable characteristic but still fails to meet the requirement of large storage capacity. Although a conventional hard disk provides a large storage capacity, it still suffers in bulk size which leads to inconvenient carrying. Rewritable non-volatile memory has the characteristics of data non-volatility, low power consumption, compact size, and non-mechanical structure. Hence, rewritable non-volatile memory is adapted for portable appliances, especially portable products powered by batteries.

A flash drive is a storage device adopting NAND flash memory as storage medium and features in large storage capacity, plug-and-play, compact size and portability for substituting for the floppy disk. Nevertheless, with the variety of connection and transmission standards of present electronic apparatuses, the flash drive having a connector with only one connection format is losing its applicability. Therefore, how to increase the applicability range of the flash drive as well as keep the convenience have become a problem to be solved for person skilled in the art.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a flash drive having a plurality of connectors capable of moving out of the housing in different moving paths.

The present invention provides a method of operating a flash drive, by which connectors are moved in multiple sections, such that a user may select a desired connector to use.

The present invention provides a flash drive including a storage element, a housing and an integrating member. The storage element has a first connector and a second connector. The housing movably covers a part of the storage element. The integrating member is pivoted to the storage element, coupled to the housing and adapted to move relatively to the housing in a first path or a second path. When the integrating member moves relatively to the housing along the first path, the first connector is accordingly exposed from or hidden in the housing. When the integrating member moves relatively to the housing along the second path and drives the storage element to move relatively to the integrating member, the second connector is exposed from or hidden in the integrating member.

The present invention provides a method for operating a flash drive. The flash drive includes a storage element, a housing and an integrating member. The storage element has a first connector and a second connector. A part of storage element is movably contained in the housing. The integrating member is pivoted to the storage element and movably coupled to the housing. The method for operating the flash drive includes the following steps. The integrating member is driven to move relatively to the housing in a first path, such that the first connector is exposed from or hidden in the housing, and the flash drive is transited between a first state and a second state. The integrating member is driven to move relatively to the housing in a second path and drive the storage element to move relatively to the integrating member back and forth, such that the second connector is exposed from or hidden in the integrating member, and the flash drive is transited between the first state and a third state. The first path is connected with but different from the second path.

Based on the above, in the flash drive, with the disposition of and the connection among the storage element, the housing and the integrating member, the housing and the integrating member can move relatively to each other along the first path and the second path. When the housing and the integrating member move relatively to each other along the first path, the first connector of the storage element can be thereby exposed from or hidden in the housing, and when moving along the second path, the second connector can be thereby exposed from or hidden in the integrating member along with the housing. By doing so, a user can select different connectors based on the paths depending on the usage sate thereof, such that the flash drive not only can enhance the application range due to having different types of connectors but also allow the user to drive the desired connector to be exposed for use in a simple driving way.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram illustrating a flash drive according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2is cross-sectional view of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 1.FIG. 3is an exploded view of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 1. Herein, a Cartesian coordinate system is also provided in the present exemplary embodiment for the convenience of the subsequent description. With reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 3, a flash drive100includes a storage element110, a housing120and an integrating member130. The storage element110includes a main body113and a first connector111and a second connector112which extend toward opposite sides from the main body113. The main body130is, for example, a package formed by packaging one or more chips with any one or more of elements, such as passive components, capacitors, resistors, connectors, antennas and so on by utilizing a system in package (SIP) technique in a chip package body. The first connector111, the main body113and the second connector112are electrically connected with one another, such that a user may connect the first connector111or the second connector112with a connector of another electronic apparatus (not shown) according to his/her needs. In the present exemplary embodiment, the first connector111is a micro universal serial bus (Micro-USB) connector, and the second connector112is a universal serial bus (USB) connector, which is not limited in the present exemplary embodiment. In other exemplary embodiments that are not illustrate, the storage element may also use connectors of different standards as interfaces for connecting with the external and other elements of the present invention that will be described below, such that the flash drive of the present invention can be connected with other electronic apparatuses using the connectors of different standards, respectively.

With reference toFIG. 2andFIG. 3, in the present exemplary embodiment, the integrating member130is a recess structure formed by a connecting wall131and a pair of side walls133and135, and thereby, a front opening E1and a pair of side openings E2and E3located at opposite sides of the front opening E1are formed. (Herein, in order to conveniently describe the integrating member130, the openings are illustrated by dashed-line contours inFIG. 3.) The integrating member130further has a pair of protrusions132and134which respectively extend from the side walls133and135toward the opposite side walls and are directly or indirectly pivoted to the main body113of the storage element110, such that the storage element110may rotate relatively to the integrating member130around a central axis C1formed by the protrusions132and134.

Furthermore, the housing120is formed by combining a first member122and a second member124, and the combined first member122and second member124form a containing space S1and openings S2and S3located at opposite sides of the containing space S1. At least a part of the storage element110may be movably contained in the containing space S1along the Y axis, such that the housing120may movably cover at least a part of the storage element110, and a structure where the housing120and the storage element110may be movably sandwiched between the side walls133and135.

Additionally, the housing120further has trails121and123located on the outer surface thereof (since the trails121and123of the housing120are distributed in both the first member122and the second member124and have the same capability, only the trails121and123located on the first member122are illustrated for related description). Correspondingly, the integrating member130also has protrusions136and138extending oppositely from the two side walls133and135. After oppositely and slidably passing through a part of the trail121, the protrusions132and134are pivoted to the main body113of the storage element110. The protrusions136and138are slidably coupled to a part of the trail121and the trail123, and namely, each of the protrusions132,134,136and138is a pillar structure, and the protrusions132and134have a gap (along the Z axis) therebetween and the protrusions136and138have a gap therebetween. When the protrusions136and138are coupled to a par to the trail121, the integrating member130may move relatively to the housing120along the first path L1, and when the protrusions136and138are coupled to the trail123, the integrating member130may move relatively to the housing120along the second path L2. The first path L1and the second. path L2are connected with but different from each other. Here, the paths L1and L2are labeled on the upper side ofFIG. 3for clear identification. It should be further mentioned that in the embodiment of the present invention, the coupling relationship between the related elements does not refer to fixed connection between the elements, but a corresponding relationship between the elements that may move relatively to each other, where the mode of the relative movement is not limited.

To be more detailed, in the present exemplary embodiment, the trail121is in a linear contour, and the trail123is in at least a part of a circular contour. The trail121includes a first section121aand a second section121b.The first section121ais an elongated through hole on the housing120, the second section121bis an elongated recess, the trail123is a circular recess, and the second section121bis connected between the first section121a and the trail123. Thereby, the protrusions132and134pass through the first section121a of the trail121and may slide back and forth around the elongated through hole, while the protrusions136and138are coupled to the elongated recess (the second section121b) and the circular recess (the second trail123) so as to slide back and forth therein.

Furthermore, in the present exemplary embodiment, the trail121in the linear contour is substantial a diameter of the trail123in the circular contour, and a relative distance between the protrusions132and136on the same side wall133or135(a relative distance between134and138) is equal to a radius of the circular contour. Moreover, the protrusions132and134are limited by the structural feature of the elongated through hole of the first section121a and allowed to only slide back and forth along the Y axis. Accordingly, the protrusions132and136(or the protrusions134and138) may be operated with the trails121and123to form the first path L1(which is in the linear contour) and the second path L2(which is in the at least partially circular contour).

Hereinafter, corresponding states of the flash drive100which are generated after relative movements between the integrating member130and the housing120will be described.FIG. 4andFIG. 7are schematic diagrams illustrating the flash drive ofFIG. 1in different states.FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 4.FIG. 6is a partial schematic diagram of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 4.FIG. 8is a cross-sectional view of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 7.FIG. 9is a partial schematic diagram of the flash drive illustrated inFIG. 7.

First, referring toFIG. 4toFIG. 6with reference toFIG. 1toFIG. 3, when the flash drive100is in the first state illustrated inFIG. 1(orFIG. 2), the protrusions132and134pivoted to the storage element110at this time are located in the first section121aof the trail121and near the second section121b(i.e., located on the junction between the first section121aand the second section121b,which is near the center of the circular contour), while the protrusions136and138are located on the junction between the second section121band the trail123. Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, at this time, a part of the housing120protrudes out of the front opening E1, the first connector111is in a state of being embedded in the housing120, and the second connector112is hidden in the recess structure formed by the integrating member130with the interface facing the connecting wall131.

It should be mentioned herein that since the integrating member130and the storage element110only have the pivotal connection therebetween, any movement other than the integrating member130and the storage element110rotating relatively around the central axis C1would not occur. In other words, when the housing120and the integrating member130linearly move relatively to each other, the movement can not affect the relative movement of the storage element110to the integrating member130, but instead, the movement drives the storage element110to rotate relatively to the integrating member130only when the housing120rotates relatively to the integrating member130.

Then, when the protrusions132and134move along the first section121atoward the positive Y-axial direction (i.e., the protrusions132and134gradually depart from the second section121b), the protrusions136and138and the protrusions132and134move in the same way along the second section121buntil the protrusions132and134arrives at an end of the first section121awhich is away from the second section121b,and the protrusions136and138move to the junction between the first section121aand the second section121b(i.e., near the center of the circular contour). By doing so, the housing120may move relatively to the integrating member130along the linear first path L1, that is, the housing120moves toward the negative Y-axial direction into the recess structure through the front opening E1(labeled inFIG. 3), such that the first connector111passes through the opening S2and is exposed from the housing120, which at the same time, results in at least a part of the second connector112located in the recess structure moves into the housing120through the opening S1. Accordingly, the first connector111is in a second state of protruding from the front opening E1, such that the user may hold the integrating member130and use the first connector111as a connection interface for connecting the flash drive100with another electronic apparatus.

It is should be noticed that the protrusions136and138at this time are located in the center of the trail121(near the center of the circular contour) and thus, are limited by the linear recess structure and the trail121of the elongated through hole, such that the housing120and the integrating member130are merely allowed to move along the Y axis. In other words, the housing120in this state is incapable of rotating relatively to the integrating member130.

In light of the foregoing, only by simple operation steps, the user can drive the housing120to move relatively to the storage element110and the integrating member130back and forth along the first path L1, such that the first connector111can be exposed from or hidden in the housing120, and the flash drive100can be transited between the first state depicted inFIG. 1and the second state depicted inFIG. 4.

With reference toFIG. 7toFIG. 9andFIG. 1toFIG. 3, when desiring to use the second connector112as an interface for connecting the flash drive100with another electronic apparatus, the user needs to return the flash drive100back to the first state depicted inFIG. 1. Then, the user has to drive the housing120to move along the second path L2and simultaneously drive the storage element110to move relatively to the integrating member130back and forth, such that the second connector112is exposed from or hidden in the integrating member130, and the flash drive100is transited between the state depicted inFIG. 1and third state depicted inFIG. 7.

To be more detailed, as described in the above, when the flash drive100is in the first state, the protrusions132and134are located at the junction between the first section121aand the second section121b(i.e., near the center of the circular contour), that is, the protrusions132and134at this time are interfered by the elongated through hole of the first section121a along the positive Y axial direction. Moreover, the protrusions136and138are located at the junction between the second section121band the trail123. In this way, the protrusions136and138may move toward the trail123, such that the housing120may rotate relatively to the integrating member130and thus, drive the storage element110to rotate relatively to the integrating member130in the second path L2, and accordingly, the second connector112may rotate out of the integrating member130through the side opening E2or E3until the second connector112is in the third state and protrudes from the front opening E1of the integrating member130, as illustrated inFIG. 7.

It should be noticed herein that when the flash drive100is in the third state, the protrusions136and138of the integrating member130of the flash drive100are in an interfered state with the housing120along the negative Y axial direction, as illustrated inFIG. 8. Thus, when the user holds the integrating member130and use the second connector112to connect another electronic apparatus, the storage element110is prevented from moving relatively to the housing120along the negative Y axial direction due to the interfered state, such that the second connector112is prevented from being retracted back to the housing120.

The type of the second path L2is not limited herein, and as illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment (with reference toFIG. 3simultaneously), the second path L2is in a circular contour. Thus, the protrusions136and138may move along semicircular paths toward different directions, such that the second connector112rotates out of the integrating member130through the side opening E2or the side opening E3. In another embodiment that is not shown, it may also be only one of the semicircular paths, and the second connector is only allowed to rotate out of the integrating member through only one of the side openings. In other words, in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the second path L2belongs to at least a part of the circular path.

To sum up, in the flash drive of the present invention, with the disposition of and the connection among the storage element, the housing and the integrating member, the housing and the integrating member can move relatively to each other along the first path and the second path. When the housing and the integrating member move relatively to each other along the first path, the first connector of the storage element can be thereby exposed from or hidden in the housing, and when moving along the second path, the second connector can be thereby exposed from or hidden in the integrating member along with the housing.

In other words, with the design of the trails on the housing which are operated with the protrusions on the integrating member, the housing and the integrating member moves relatively to each other along different paths, such that the flash drive can be transited among three states. Moreover, when being in the state that the connector is exposed and in use, the stability of the flash drive can be improved by preventing the connector thereof from relative displacement with the structural interference between the protrusions and the trails.

By doing so, the user can select different connectors based on the paths depending on the usage sate thereof, such that the flash drive not only can enhance the application range due to having different types of connectors but also allow the user to drive the desired connector to be exposed for use in a simple driving way.