Abstract:
An electronic information storage device includes a first casing provided with a first toothed portion; a pushing element; an outer gear coupled to the pushing element; and an electrical connecting portion having a circuit board mounting means and a circuit board, the circuit board mounting means being coupled to the circuit board, the circuit board mounting means being provided with a second toothed portion, wherein the outer gear is coupled to the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion respectively, so that the electrical connecting portion is driven with respect to the first casing when the pushing element pushes or pulls the outer gear. Via this arrangement, the moving distance of the electrical connecting portion can be further controlled, thereby improving the convenience of the storage device in use.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This Application is based on Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/960,563, filed 4 Oct. 2007, currently pending. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is related to a portable information storage device, which can be inserted in a computer to transmit data to and receive data from the computer. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a conventional portable storage device, which includes a main body  1   a,  an electrical connector  2   a,  and a protective cover  3   a.  The main body  1   a  is provided therein with a circuit board (not shown). The electrical connector  2   a  is electrically connected with the circuit board. The electrical connector  2   a  is inserted into a connecting port of a computer, so that data can be transmitted between the storage device and a hard disk of the computer. When the storage device is not in use, the electrical connector  2   a  of the storage device is removed from the connecting port. Since the interior of the protective cover  3   a  has an accommodating space, the electrical connector  2   a  can be inserted into the accommodating space of the protective cover  3   a  to receive the electrical connector  2   a  in the protective cover  3   a.  At this time, the electrical connector  2   a  is protected by the protective cover  3   a,  and thus it will not collide with rigid articles directly and suffer damage. However, each time when the storage device is used, it is inconvenient for the user to remove the protective cover  3   a.  Further, after the storage device is used, the user usually forgets to cover back the protective cover  3   a  or even lose the protective cover  3   a.  Without the protection of the protective cover  3   a,  the electrical connector  2   a  may suffer damage when colliding with rigid articles. Consequently, because of the above technical defects, the inventor keeps on carving unflaggingly through wholehearted experience and research to develop the present invention, which can effectively improve the defects described above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic information storage device, which has a protecting effect and improves the convenience in use. 
         [0007]    For achieving the object described above, the present invention provides an electronic information storage device, which includes: a first casing provided with a first toothed portion; a pushing element; an outer gear coupled to the pushing element; and an electrical connecting portion comprising a circuit board mounting means and a circuit board, the circuit board mounting means being coupled to the circuit board, the circuit board mounting means being provided with a second toothed portion, wherein the outer gear is coupled to the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion respectively, so that the electrical connecting portion is driven with respect to the first casing when the pushing element pushes or pulls the outer gear. 
         [0008]    The present invention has advantageous effects as follows. When the pushing element pushes or pulls the outer gear, the electrical connecting portion will be driven with respect to the first casing. As a result, when the storage device is not in use, the user can retract the electrical connecting portion in the first casing. In this way, not only the electrical connecting portion can be protected, but also the moving distance of the electrical connecting portion can be further controlled via a proper design, thereby improving the convenience of the storage device in use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing a state of the conventional portable storage device; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing another state of the conventional portable storage device; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view showing the electronic information storage device of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing the electronic information storage device of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the operation of the electronic information storage device of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an assembled perspective view showing the second embodiment of the electronic information storage device of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view showing the second embodiment of the electronic information storage device of the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the operation inside the second embodiment of the electronic information storage device of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    Please refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The present invention provides an electrical information storage device, which includes a first casing  1 , a rotating means  2 , a pushing element  3 , an outer gear  4 , an electrical connecting portion  5 , and a protective casing  6 . The first casing  1  is formed by assembling a top cover  1  with a base  12 . The pushing element  3 , the outer gear  4 , and the electrical connecting portion  5  are accommodated between the top cover  11  and the base  12 . An inner wall of the first casing  1  is provided with a first toothed portion  13 . One end of the first casing  1  has an opening  14 . The electrical connecting portion  5  movably penetrates through the opening  14 . When the electrical connecting portion  5  is inserted into a connecting port of a computer, information can be transmitted between the computer and the storage device. The protective cover  6  is formed by assembling another top cover  61  and a bottom cover  62 . The protective casing  6  covers the exterior of the first casing  1 . The surface of the protective casing  6  is provided with oblique stripes  63  corresponding to the surface of the first casing  1 , so that the first casing  1  and the protective casing  6  can be assembled quickly and easily by recognizing the stripes on the surface of the first casing  1  and the oblique stripes  63 . 
         [0018]    The rotating means  2  is connected to the exterior of the first casing  1 . The rotating means  2  comprises a gripping portion  21  and a connecting portion  22 . The connecting portion  22  comprises a first ring  221  and a second ring  222 . The first ring  221  is connected to the gripping portion  21 . The outer diameter of the first ring  221  is smaller than that of the second ring  222 . The first ring  221  is connected between the gripping portion  21  and the second ring  222 . The first casing  1  is provided with an accommodating portion  15 . The first ring  221  and the second ring  222  are received in the accommodating portion  15 . The inner wall of the gripping portion  21  is provided with internal threads. Two opposing sides outside the rotating means  2  are connected to a pivotal piece  24  respectively. The pair of pivotal pieces  24  is pivotally connected with a hanging ring  7  that allows the user to carry it about easily. 
         [0019]    The pushing element  3  is coupled to the rotating means  2 . Specifically, the pushing element  3  comprises a seat  31  and a screw rod  32 . One side of the seat  31  is fixed to one end of the screw rod  32 . The other side of the seat  31  is provided with a protruding block  311 . The screw rod  32  penetrates the gripping portion  21 , the first ring  221  and the second ring  222 . The screw rod  32  is connected with the inner threads of the gripping portion  21 . 
         [0020]    The outer gear  4  is coupled to the pushing element  3 . More specifically, the center of the outer gear  4  has an open hole  41 , so that the outer gear  4  is pivotally connected to the protruding block  311  through the open hole  41  and thus the protruding block is coupled to the outer gear. One end of the outer gear  4  is engaged with the first toothed portion  13 . 
         [0021]    The electrical connecting portion  5  comprises a circuit board mounting means  51  and a circuit board  52  having memories, a memory controlling circuit and electrical connectors. The circuit board mounting means  51  is coupled to the circuit board  52 . More specifically, the circuit board mounting means  51  is recessed to form a mounting trough  511 , so that the circuit board  52  can be disposed in the mounting trough  511  and connected with the circuit board mounting means  51  firmly. The bottom surface of the circuit board mounting means  51  is provided with a second toothed portion  53 . The other end of the outer gear  4  is coupled to the second toothed portion  53 , so that the outer gear  4  is located between the first toothed portion  13  and the second toothed portion  53 . 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the storage device is in use, the user rotates the rotating means  2 , so that the screw rod  32  received in the rotating means  2  moves with respect to the first casing  1 . At this time, the seat  31  moves together with the screw rod  32 , thus driving the outer gear  4 . Since the outer gear  4  is engaged with the first toothed portion  13 , the outer gear  4  can rotate and move with respect to the first casing  1 , which drives the electrical connecting portion  5  engaged with the outer gear  4  via the second toothed portion  53  so as to move with respect to the first casing  1 . More specifically, with the cooperation of the outer gear  4  with the first toothed portion  13  and the second toothed portion  53 , since the outer gear  4  is pivotally connected to the pushing element  3  via the central open hole  41  having an inner radius r 1 , when the pushing element  3  moves a distance of D 1  (e.g. 6 mm), the outer gear  4  also moves a distance of D 1 . In the case that the outer radius of the outer gear  4  is r 2 , since the first casing  1  is stationary to act like a fulcrum, the rotation of the outer gear  4  relative to the first casing  1  causes the electrical connecting portion  5  engaged with the outer gear  4  to move a distance of D 2 , wherein D 2 =D 1 ×(r 2 /r 1 ). If the ratio of the outer radius to the inner radius of the outer gear  4  (r 2 /r 1 ) is 2, the electrical connecting portion  5  can move a distance of 12 mm (6×2=12 mm). When the storage device is not in use, the user only has to rotate the rotating means  2  to retract the previously-protruding electrical connecting portion  5  into the first casing  1 . In this way, the electrical connecting portion can be protected. Further, the moving distance of the electrical connecting portion  5  is multiplied by the ratio of the outer radius to the inner radius of the outer gear  4 , which improving the convenience of the storage device in use. 
         [0023]    Please refer to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , which show another embodiment of the electrical information storage device of the present invention including a first casing  1 ′, a rotating means  2 ′, a pushing element  3 ′, and a circuit board  4 ′ having memories, a memory controlling circuit and electrical connectors. One end of the first casing  1 ′ has an opening  11 ′, and one side thereof is provided with a positioning pillar  12 ′. The rotating means  2  is coupled to the first casing  1 ′. The rotating means  2 ′ has an upper cover  21 ′, a first toothed portion  22 ′ and a lower cover  23 ′. The first toothed portion  22 ′ is circumferentially provided on the periphery of the rotating means  2 ′. The first toothed portion  22 ′ is arranged between the upper cover  21 ′ and the lower cover  23 ′. The upper cover  21 ′, the first toothed portion  22 ′ and the lower cover  23 ′ are pivotally connected to the positioning pillar  12 ′. The side wall of the pushing element  3 ′ is provided with a trough  31 ′. The pushing element  3 ′ is provided with a second toothed portion  32 ′ on the inner wall of the trough  31 ′. The rotating means  2 ′ is located in the trough  31 ′. The first toothed portion  22 ′ is engaged with the second toothed portion  32 ′. The circuit board  4 ′ is coupled to an end surface outside the pushing element  3 ′. The circuit board  4 ′ movably penetrates the opening  11 ′. 
         [0024]    Please refer to  FIG. 8 . When the storage device is in use, the user can rotate the rotating means  2 ′ to drive the pushing element  3 ′ to move in the first casing  1 ′ via the engagement between the first toothed portion  22 ′ and the second toothed portion  32 ′. Then, the circuit board  4 ′ coupled to the pushing element  3 ′ moves together with the pushing element  3 ′, and finally protrudes from the opening  11 ′. When the storage device is not in use, the user rotates the rotating means  2 ′ to return its original position, thus retracting the previously-protruding circuit board  4 ′ into the first casing  1 ′. In this way, the circuit board  4 ′ can be protected, and the convenience of the storage device in use can be improved. 
         [0025]    While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.