Abstract:
A portable storage device ( 1 ) includes a memory device with a USB interface ( 20 ) and a protective cap ( 30 ) detachably mated with the USB interface. The USB interface may be a conventional one, which has a metal shell ( 21 ) defined pair of holes ( 213 ) therein. The protective cap has a case ( 31 ), a spring member ( 34 ) mounted therein and a button ( 33 ) engaged the spring member. The spring member defines a hook section ( 343 ) thereon to engage with the hole of the USB interface. To press said button inwardly disengages the hook section of the spring member from the hole of the USB connector, thereby detaching the USB interface from the cap.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to a portable storage device, and particularly to a portable storage device with a protective cap which can protect connector of the portable storage device. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Please refer to  FIG. 8 , which is a schematic diagram of a conventional portable storage device. The portable storage device includes a case  16 , a USB connector  14 , and a cover  12  detachably connected to the case  16  to cover the USB connector  14 . 
   The case  16  of the above-described conventional portable storage device is internally provided with circuits for storing and transmitting computer data, and is electrically connected to the connector  14 , such that when the cover  12  is removed from the case  16  to expose the connector  14 , the connector  14  may be directly plugged into a USB connector provided on a computer to function like an externally connected hard disk drive to transmit or store data. When the connector  14  is unplugged, the portable storage device can be carried by a user to any other place or be connected to another computer. Therefore, the portable storage device is highly mobile and convenient for use. 
   The connector  14  of the above-described conventional portable storage device is connected to an end of the case  16 , and is protected by the cover  12  against uselessness resulted from collision, damage, distortion or deformation of the connector  14 . During usage, the cover  12  may be taken off from the case  16  and easily lost. Once the cover  12  is lost, the connector  14  is no longer suitably protected and tends to become damaged, failed, and unusable. 
   Hence, how to improve the disadvantage in prior art is the major discussion of the present invention. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable storage device with a protective cap to protect a USB connector thereof, further to avoid loosing protective cover in prior art. 
   In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a portable storage device with protective cap includes a memory device with a USB interface and a protective cap detachably mated with the USB interface. The USB interface has a holding section. The protective cap has a case, a spring member mounted therein and a button engaged the spring member. The spring member defines a hook section thereon to engage with the hole of the USB interface. To press said button inwardly disengages the hook section of the spring member from the hole of the USB connector, thereby detaching the USB interface from the cap. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic view of a portable storage device with a protective cap in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  a partial exploded perspective schematic view of  FIG. 1 , showing the hook sections engaged with through holes of the USB connector; 
       FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 4  is a exploded perspective view of the protective cap shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the protective cap detached from the USB connector; 
       FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view taken along line A—A of  FIG. 1 , showing relations between the USB connector and the spring arms and the secondary spring arms; 
       FIG. 7  is a partial sectional view taken along line B—B of  FIG. 1 , showing relations between the button and the spring arms; 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic diagram of a portable storage device in prior art. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , a portable storage device  1  in accordance with the present invention comprises a cartridge member  10 , a printed circuit board with a memory unit (not shown) received in the cartridge member  10 , a USB connector  20  electrically connecting with the printed circuit board, and a protective cap  30  detachably mated with the USB connector  20 . 
   The cartridge member  10  extending in a front-to-rear direction. One end of the cartridge member  10  is equipped with an outward projecting protrusion  11  with a through hole  110  defined therein, for a string or a key ring passing therethrough and tied to facilitate user&#39;s carrying of the storage device  1 . Another end of cartridge member  10  is provided with the USB connector  20 . The USB connector  20  may has a conventional structure, which includes a substantial rectangular metal shell  21 , a mating set  22  received in the shell  21  and a plurality of contacts (not labeled) arranged on the mating set  22 . The metal shell  21  defines a top wall  210  and a bottom wall  212 . A receiving space  211  is defined between the top wall  210  and the receiving set  22 . A holding section is defined in the top wall  210  of the metal shell  21  of the USB connector  20 . In this embodiment, the holding section is a pair of through holes  213  defined in the top wall  210  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  in conjunction with  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the protective cap  30  includes a case  31 , a chamber  316  enclosed by the case  31 , an actuated member  32  received in the chamber  316  and an actuation member  33  engaged with the actuated member  32 . The case  31  has a top wall  310  with a through hole  311  defined therein, a bottom wall  312 , a pair of opposite sidewalls  314  and opposite front end  313  and back end  315 . The two ends both define an opening  317  therein, in communication the chamber  316 . Each of the inner surfaces  318  of the sidewalls  314  is formed with a stopper portion  319  in a manner of step in this embodiment. 
   The actuated member  32  includes a base portion  320  with a top face  322 , a front end  323 , a rear end  325  and a pair of sidewalls  324 . The sidewall  324  is embossed with a pair of projecting ribs  327 . An inclined engaging portion  326  is provided at the mutual boundary of the sidewall  314  and the rear end  325  for engaging the stopper portion  319  of the case  31 . Two groove  321 ,  328  are defined in the base portion  320 . The two grooves both parallel to the top face  322  of the base portion  320  and the groove  321  is above the groove  328 . A spring member  34 , which is sandwiched by the two grooves  321 ,  328 , extend rearwardly from the base portion  320  and beyond it in the front-to-rear direction. In this preferred embodiment, the spring member  34  and the base portion  320  are molded integrally. Of course, in other embodiment the spring member  34  and the base portion  320  may be two things but assumed together as a whole one. The spring member  34  includes a main connection portion  340  connecting the base portion  320 , a pair of spring arms  342  extending therefrom and beyond the connection portion  320  in the front-to-rear direction with a projecting hook section  343  formed at free end thereof. A pair of guiding arms  35  extends rearwardly from the rear end  325  in the extending direction of the spring arms  342 , and which is outside of the spring arms  342 . Corresponding to the through hole  311  in the top wall of the case  31 , a hole  341  is defined in the connection portion  340  in alignment with the through hole  311 . Furthermore, there is a slot  329  defined in the base portion  320 , which is below the groove  328 . The actuation member  33  is a button, which includes a main upper portion  331  fitted in the through hole  311  of the case  31  and an engaging lower portion  332  engaged in the hole  341  of the spring member  34 . Diameter of the main upper portion  331  is lager than that of the lower portion  332  of the button  33 . 
   The cap  30  further includes a secondary member  36  engaged in the slot  329  of the base portion  320  of the actuated member  32  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). The secondary spring member  36  comprises a main portion  360  interferentially received in the slot  329  of the base portion  320  and a pair of spring arms  362  extending upward and rearward from the base portion  360 . Free ends of the spring arms  362  of the secondary spring member  36  are against lower surfaces of corresponding spring arms  342  of the spring member  34 . 
   Turning to  FIG. 1  in conjunction with  FIGS. 4–7 , in assembly, the actuated member  32  is inserted into the chamber  316  through the opening  317  defined in the front end  313  of the case  31 , with projecting ribs  327  on the side surfaces  324  of the base portion  320  being pressed by inner surface  319  of the sidewalls  314  of the case  31 , engaging portion  326  of the base potion  320  being against the stop portion  319  formed in the inner surface  318  of the case  31  for obstructing its further movement toward the rear end  315  of the case  31  and the front end  323  being just matched with the opening  317  defined in the front end  313 . As a result, the actuated member  32  is securely fitted in the case, and the front end  323  of the base portion  320  and front wall  313  of the case  31  are coplanar. Then, the engaging lower portion  332  of the actuation member  33  is inlaid in the hole  341  of the main connection portion  340  passing through the through hole  319  defined in the top wall  310  of the case  31 . The actuation member  33  engaged with the case  31  and the actuated member  32  together. The upper portion  331  of the actuation member  33  is in the through hole  319  of the case  31  and is exposed outside the case  31  partially for facilitating user&#39;s operation. These grooves  321 ,  328  above and below the spring member  34  provide enough space for its movement in a vertical direction. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–3  in conjunction with  FIGS. 6–7 , in use, the protective cap  30  is to receive and protect the USB connector  20 . When the cap  30  mated with the connector, the guiding arms  35  is inserted into the receiving space  211  of the USB connector  20  along an inner sidewall of the USB connector  20 , and guide the spring arms  342  into the receiving space  211  too, until a front end of the mating set  22  confront the back end  325  of the base portion  320  of the actuated member  32  and the hook sections  343  are locked by the pair of through holes  213  defined in the top wall  210  of the metal shell  21 . In detail, the hook section  343  is first pressed inward and into the receiving space  211 . Then, when the hook sections  343  confront the pair of holes  213  in the top wall  210  of the shell  21 , the plastic deformation of the pair of spring arms  342  resumes and the hook sections  343  enter the pair of holes  213  and are locked. As a result, the protective cap  30  is assembled with the USB connector  20  firmly. When it is desired to plug the USB connector  20  into another USB connector provided on a computer, the user only need to press the actuation member  33  to actuate the connection portion  340  and the pair of spring arms  342  of the spring member  32  to move downward, which disengages the hook sections  343  from the holes  213  of the metal shell  21 . Then, the USB connector  20  is detached from the cap  30  freely. 
   In view of frequent insertion into and pulling out of the USB connector  20  from the protective cap  30 , it is could not be avoided that the elasticity of the spring arm is decreased, influencing the engagement of the hook section  343  of the cap  30  with the USB connector  20 . The secondary spring member  36  can solve the problem mentioned above. The pair of spring arms  362  of the secondary spring member  36  is against lower surfaces of corresponding spring arms  342  of the spring member  34  to support the resume of a plastic deformation of the spring arms  342  and ensure the engagement of the hook section  343  of the spring member  34  with the holes  213  defined in the shell  21  of the USB connector  20 . 
   It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.