Patent Publication Number: US-11662783-B2

Title: Detachable memory and electronic device having the detachable memory

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Patent Application No. 63/044,137, filed on Jun. 25, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The present application further claims priority to a CN Patent Application No. 202011501113.1, filed on Dec. 18, 2020, the disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to detachable assembly of a memory and, more particularly, to a detachable memory having an anti-misplugging function and an electronic device having the detachable memory. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     An electronic device (e.g., a laptop computer or a tablet computer) is frequently required to connect to an additional memory by means of external connection. An electronic device is provided with an accommodating slot, and a memory is embedded in the accommodating slot and thus coupling is achieved by docking between the connector and the docking connector. 
     To assemble a current memory on an electronic device, one correct way for performing the assembly is first plugging one end of the memory in an inclined manner to one end of the accommodating slot, and the other end of the memory is then pressed into the other corresponding end of the accommodating slot. However, a user may often directly press the entire memory into the accommodating slot by way of embedding in a horizontal straight-up and straight-down manner without paying much attention. At this point in time, although the memory is in a misplugged state as being not entirely embedded in the accommodating slot, at least 90% of the volume of the memory is pressed into the accommodating slot, and so thorough coupling is achieved because a connector of the memory is fully docked with the docking connector of the electronic device, and the electronic device is yet capable of reading the memory in the misplugged state. 
     Even though a current memory in a misplugged state can be read by an electronic device, stable assembly between the misplugged memory and the electronic device cannot be maintained, such that the memory is often disengaged from the accommodating slot during use, causing a crash of the electronic device or even resulting in damage of data stored in the memory. 
     Looking into the issues above, one reason is that a current memory is almost entirely pressed into an accommodating slot although being misplugged, in a way that it may be difficult for a user to discover the misplugging; one other reason is that even if a current memory is misplugged, thorough coupling is still achieved and the memory is nonetheless read by an electronic device, also leading to a situation that a user has no way of knowing the current misplugging of the memory. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a detachable memory and an electronic device having the detachable memory which achieve an anti-misplugging effect by a stopping portion and a stopped portion. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electronic device having a detachable memory. The electronic device is provided with a docking connector, and includes: a device body, having an accommodating slot and a stopping portion provided corresponding to the accommodating slot, the stopping portion and the accommodating slot jointly forming a displacement space in between; and a memory, provided with a protruding stopped portion and a connector. When the memory is accommodated in the accommodating slot, the stopped portion is moved along into the displacement space and is blocked by the stopping portion, and the connector is docked with the docking connector. 
     The present invention further provides a detachable memory configured to be fixed by a retaining structure, a fastening hole and a stopping portion. The detachable memory includes: a memory body, provided with a retaining notch into which the retaining structure is extended and being retained thereby; a stopped portion, protruding from the memory body, stopped by the stopping portion; and a fastener, protruding from the stopped portion, inserted in the fastening hole and is accordingly fastened. 
     Compared to the prior art, the present invention achieves an anti-misplugging effect. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a detachable memory. The electronic device is capable of inhibiting a connector from docking with a docking connector in the event of misplugging or preventing reading the memory in the event of incomplete docking, further allowing a user to become aware that the memory is currently misplugged and accordingly achieving an anti-misplugging effect. 
     To achieve the above object, the present invention further provides an electronic device having a detachable memory. The electronic device is provided with a docking connector, and includes: a device body, having an accommodating slot and a stopping portion arranged corresponding to the accommodating slot, the stopping portion and the accommodating slot jointly forming a displacement space in between; and a memory, provided with a protruding stopped portion and a connector. When the memory is to be accommodated in the accommodating slot, the memory is inclined as the stopped portion is stopped outside the displacement space and the accommodating slot by the stopping portion, further only achieving partial coupling for docking between the connector and the docking connector. 
     The present invention provides the following effects compared to the prior art. In the event of misplugging, a user is allowed to become aware that a memory is currently misplugged, further achieving an anti-misplugging effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a partial exploded three-dimensional diagram of an electronic device in a top view according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a partial three-dimensional diagram of a housing in  FIG.  1    in a bottom view according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a partial cross-sectional diagram of  FIG.  2    according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  4    is an exploded three-dimensional diagram of a memory according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional diagram of a memory after assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  6    is a partial three-dimensional diagram of a memory after assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  7    and  FIG.  8    are cross-sectional schematic diagrams of an electronic device during an assembly process of a memory according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device after assembly of a memory according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  10    is a partial enlarged diagram according to  FIG.  9    of the present invention; 
         FIG.  11    is a partial three-dimensional schematic diagram of assembly of an electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  12    is a partial exploded three-dimensional diagram of an electronic device before assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  13    is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram after assembly according to  FIG.  12    of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an electronic device when a memory is misplugged according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Details and technical contents of the present invention are given with the accompanying drawings below. However, the drawings are for purposes of reference and illustration and are not to be construed as limitations to the present invention. 
     The present invention provides a detachable memory and an electronic device having the detachable memory. As shown in  FIG.  1   , an electronic device having a detachable memory (hereinafter referred to as an “electronic device”) of the present invention may be any device connectable to various types of external detachable memories (hereinafter referred to as a “memory”)  100 , for example, a laptop computer or a tablet computer, such as a tablet computer shown in the drawing. An electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes a memory  100  and a device body  900 . The memory  100  is detachably assembled to the exterior of the device body  900 , and the two are electrically connected to each other when assembled. The memory  100  may be, for example but not limited to, a solid-state disk (SSD). 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3   , the device body  900  is a body of the electronic device of the present invention, and has an accommodating slot  91 , a docking connector  92  and a stopping portion  93 , and further has a displacement space S formed therein. 
     Specifically, the device body  900  includes a housing  9 , and the accommodating slot  91  is recessed from one surface of the housing  9  so as to form on the housing  9  a recess starting point  914  as shown in  FIG.  3    and a recess ending point (not denoted with a numeral, referring to a slot bottom surface  913  formed at the bottom of the accommodating slot  91  in  FIG.  7   , wherein the slot bottom surface  913  is equivalent to the recess ending point) as shown in  FIG.  7   , and preferably, a fastening hole  9111  is provided on a slot wall of the accommodating slot  91 . The stopping portion  93  has a corresponding joining surface  931 , and is located at a position of any desired height in front of the recess ending point of the accommodating slot  91 . In this embodiment, the stopping portion  93  is located at the recess starting point  914  of the accommodating slot  91  as an example for illustration, so that the stopping portion  93  can partially block the accommodating slot  91  as shown in  FIG.  3   , and the stopping portion  93  and the accommodating slot  91  jointly form a displacement space S in between (as shown in  FIG.  3   ). The housing  9  is provided therein with a device circuit board  97 , and a docking connector  92  exposed in the accommodating slot  91  is provided on the device circuit board  97 . It should be noted that, the docking connector  92  and the stopping portion  93  are respectively located on two opposite ends (which may be the left end and the right end shown in  FIG.  1   ) of the accommodating slot  91 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  5   , the memory  100  includes a memory body  1   a  and a stopped portion  1   b , and preferably includes a fastener  1   c . The memory body  1   a  is the body of the memory  100 , and is provided with a connector  131 . The stopped portion  1   b  protrudes from the memory body  1   a  and corresponds to the stopping portion  93 . The stopped portion  1   b  has a joining surface  1   b   1 , and the corresponding joining surface  931  corresponds to the joining surface  1   b   1 . The fastener  1   c  protrudes from the stopped portion  1   b  and corresponds to the fastening hole  9111 . The stopped portion  1   b  is connected between the memory body  1   a  and the fastener  1   c.    
     Thus, as shown in  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  7    to  FIG.  10   , when a user wishes to assemble the memory  100  in the accommodating slot  91 , because the stopping portion  93  partially blocks the accommodating slot  91  such that the user is no longer able to embed the memory  100  in a horizontal straight-up and straight-down manner without paying much attention into the accommodating slot  91 , one end of the memory  100  needs to be extended in an inclined manner into the displacement space S, in a way that the joining surface  1   b   1  of the stopped portion  1   b  becomes abutted against a front edge of the stopping portion  93 . Meanwhile, the memory  100  rotates by using the front edge of the stopping portion  93  as a fulcrum, so that the stopped portion  1   b  can move relative to the stopping portion  93  during the rotation and further move along and enter the displacement space S. Once the stopped portion  1   b  is moved into the displacement space S, as shown in  FIG.  9    and  FIG.  10   , the stopped portion  1   b  is stopped by the stopping portion  93 , and the connector  131  is fully docked with the docking connector  92  so that the two become thoroughly coupled to each other (meaning that connection terminals of the two are completely coupled), and preferably, the fastener  1   c  is inserted in the corresponding fastening hole  9111  and is thus fastened. 
     In brief, with the partial blocking the stopping portion  93 , a user is no longer able to embed the memory  100  in a horizontal straight-up and straight-down manner without paying much attention into the accommodating slot  91 , and is instead forced to perform assembly in a correct manner; that is, one end of the memory  100  having the stopped portion  1   b  is first extended into the displacement space S, and the other end of the memory  100  is pressed into the accommodating slot  91 , such that the connector  131  becomes fully docked with the docking connector  92 . Thus, the memory  100  of the present invention can prevent forced assembly in an incorrect manner to the device body  900 . 
     It should be noted that, as shown in  FIG.  6    to  FIG.  9   , the stopped portion  1   b  produces, by moving relative to the stopping portion  93  while rotating, a movement path D on the joining surface  1   b   1  thereof as shown in  FIG.  6   , and the joining surface  1   b   1  is defined with a plurality of floating rotating shafts F along the movement path D, so that the stopped portion  1   b  can be abutted against the front edge of the stopping portion  93  using these floating rotating shafts F, further enabling the memory  100  to rotate respectively according to these floating rotating shafts F. 
     To provide the movement process of the stopped portion  1   b  into the displacement space S with a guiding effect, as shown in  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  3    and  FIG.  6   , each of two opposite sides of the joining surface  1   b   1  of the stopped portion  1   b  is provided with a guiding groove  1   b   2  parallel to the movement path D, the corresponding joining surface  931  of the stopping portion  93  is provided with two guiding ribs  932  corresponding to the guiding grooves  1   b   2 , and the guiding grooves  1   b   2  are inserted by the guiding ribs  932  and hence guided by the guiding ribs  932 . 
     In order to be more easily assemble and detach the memory  100 , as shown in  FIG.  7    to  FIG.  10   , the joining surface  1   b   1  of the stopped portion  1   b  may further incline from high to low in a direction from the memory body  1   a  toward the fastener  1   c , and the corresponding joining surface  931  of the stopping portion  93  may have a slope corresponding to the slope of the joining surface  1   b   1 . Thus, taking an assembly process for example, the assembly is looser in an initial stage of the process, and becomes tighter as progressing to a later stage. 
     In order to securely fix the memory  100  on the device body  900 , as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  11   , the memory  100  may be provided with a first fixing portion  111  on the memory body  1   a , and the device body  900  may be provided with a second fixing portion  916  (for example, the second fixing portion  916  may be provided on the housing  9 ). When the memory  100  is assembled in the accommodating slot  91 , the first fixing portion  111  and the second fixing portion  916  correspond to each other, and at this point in time, a fixing element R is detachably fixed at the first fixing portion  111  and the second fixing portion  916  so as to achieve an effect of securely fixing the memory  100  on the device body  900 . 
     It should be noted that, as shown in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  9   , the device body  900  may further include a retaining structure  95 . The retaining structure  95  is provided with a retainer  951  extended into the accommodating slot  91 , and an elastic element  952  elastically supporting between the retaining structure  95  and the housing  9 . The memory  100  is provided with a retaining notch  112  at the memory body  1   a . Thus, when the memory  100  is assembled in the accommodating slot  91 , the retainer  951  can extend into the retaining notch  112  and retain the memory  100  (a shown in  FIG.  13   ); when the user twitches the retaining structure  95 , the retainer  951  is withdrawn from the retaining notch  112  to release the retainment. 
     In  FIG.  12    and  FIG.  13    showing an electronic device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, the second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, and differs only in that the first fixing portion  115  and the second fixing portion  9511  are arranged at different positions. 
     The first fixing portion  115  is changed to being provided corresponding to the retaining notch  112 , and the second fixing portion  9511  is changed to being provided at the fastener  951 . Thus, when the memory  100  is assembled in the accommodating slot  91  and the fastener  951  is extended into the retaining notch  112 , the first fixing portion  115  and the second fixing portion  9511  correspond to each other, and the fixing element R can be detachably fixed to the first fixing portion  115  and the second fixing portion  9511 , so that the retainer  951  achieves both effects of retaining and securely fixing the memory  100 . 
     Preferably, the memory  100  may be further provided with a positioner  116  at the memory body  1   a , and a positioning portion  915  corresponding to the positioner  116  is provided in the accommodating slot  91  of the housing  9 . The structures of the positioner  116  and the positioning portion  915  are not specifically defined in the present invention, and are exemplified by a protruding pin and a recessed hole in this embodiment for illustration. Thus, when the memory  100  is assembled in the accommodating slot  91 , the positioner  116  is moved along and inserted into the positioning portion  915 , so as to position the memory  100  in the accommodating slot  91 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2   ,  FIG.  4   ,  FIG.  5   ,  FIG.  9    and  FIG.  11   , the foregoing embodiments of the present invention may further provide heat conduction and heat dissipation effects, with the associated details given below. 
     The housing  9  of the device body  900  is provided with an encircling wall  911  and a first heat conductive carrier plate  912  having good heat conductivity. The first heat conductive carrier plate  912  seals a lower opening of the encircling wall  911  such that the encircling wall  911  and the first heat conductive carrier plate  912  form in an encircling manner the foregoing accommodating slot  91 , and the first heat conductive carrier plate  912  is provided with the foregoing slot bottom surface  913  serving as the bottom of the accommodating slot  91 . The encircling wall  911  is provided with the foregoing fastening hole  9111 , and preferably further provided with a plurality of ventilation holes  9112 , wherein the ventilation holes  9112  are in communication with the interior of the device body  900 . 
     In the memory  100 , the memory body  1   a  includes a memory circuit board  13  and a second heat conductive carrier plate  12  having good heat conductivity, and preferably includes a cover  11  and a heat conductive pad  14 . The cover  11  is combined with the second heat conductive carrier plate  12  to jointly form a box B, and the memory circuit board  13  is provided in the box B and is provided with the foregoing connector  131  exposed from the box B. The heat conductive pad  14  is overlappingly connected between one surface of the memory circuit board  13  and one surface of the second heat conductive carrier plate  12 . It should be noted that, the foregoing stopped portion  1   b  is formed on one end of the cover  11 , the foregoing fastener  1   c  is provided at the stopped portion  1   b , and the first fixing portion  111  and the retaining notch  112  of the first embodiment (or the first fixing portion  115 , the retaining notch  112  and the positioner  116  of the second embodiment) are provided on the other end of the cover  11 . The cover  11  may preferably be provided with a plurality of air inlets  113  and a plurality of air outlets  114 , and the air inlets  113  and the air outlets  114  are respectively located on a top surface and a side of the cover  11 , so that the air outlets  114  located on the side can be in communication with the ventilation holes  9112  as shown in  FIG.  11   . 
     Thus, heat generated by electronic heat emitting elements (not shown) on the memory circuit board  13  can be transferred through the heat conductive pad  14  and the second heat conductive carrier plate  12  to the first heat conductive carrier plate  912 , and be quickly transferred through a heat conductive structure P (referring to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  9   ) adhered to the first heat conductive carrier plate  912  to a heat dissipation structure (as a heat dissipator H and a fan  96  shown in  FIG.  1   ) provided in the device body  900  for heat dissipation. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  11   , in the electronic device of the present invention, an airflow path (as directions of the arrows in  FIG.  11   ) is formed jointly by the fan  96 , and the ventilation holes  9112 , the air outlets  114  and the air inlets  113  in communication with the fan  96 , so that external air is drawn through the ventilation holes  9112 , the air outlets  114  and the air inlets  113  by the fan  96  and further flows through the electronic heat emitting elements on the memory circuit board  13  to achieve an air-cooled heat dissipation effect. 
     The memory body  1   a  may further include an aluminum foil  15  and at least one anti-electrostatic discharge (ESD) adhesive  16 . The aluminum foil  15  can be adhered to the other surface of the memory circuit board  13 , and an anti-electromagnetic interference (EMI) coating (not shown) may be applied on both of the aluminum foil  15  and the second heat conductive carrier plate  12 , so as to provide both heating uniformity and anti-EMI effects. The aluminum foil  15  may be further adhered with at least one anti-ESD adhesive  16 , and any one of the at least one anti-ESD adhesive  16  corresponds to the air inlets  113  as shown in  FIG.  9   , so as to further provide an anti-ESD effect. 
       FIG.  14    shows a schematic diagram of the embodiments of the present invention when the memory  100  is misplugged. By partially blocking the accommodating slot  91  with the stopping portion  93 , even if the user embeds the memory  100  in a horizontal straight-up and straight-down manner without paying much attention into the accommodating slot  91 , the stopped portion  1   b  of the memory  100  is stopped by the stopping portion  93  and cannot be successfully embedded into the accommodating slot  91 , such that one end of the memory  100  having the stopped portion  1   b  is lifted while the other end having the connector  131  enters the accommodating slot  91 . At this point in time, the connector  131  cannot be docked with the docking connector  92  (as shown), or cannot be fully docked with the docking connector  92  (not shown). In this misplugged state, the connector  131  and the docking connector  92  cannot be coupled (as shown), or can at most be only partially coupled (meaning that the connection terminals of the two are not completely coupled, not shown). Regardless of whether not being coupled or being partially coupled, the device body  900  cannot read the memory  100 , hence allowing the user to become aware that the assembly of the memory  100  and the device body  900  is in a misplugged state and further prompting the user to perform the assembly in a correct manner. 
     In conclusion, the detachable memory and the electronic device having the detachable memory of the present invention achieve the expected application objects, solve the issues of the prior art, and are novel and involve an inventive step, fully meeting the requirements of a patent application. Therefore, a patent application is filed accordingly, and granting the application with patent rights is respectfully requested to ensure rights of the inventor. 
     Preferred feasible embodiments of the present invention are described as above, and are not to be construed as limitations to the scope of protection of the present invention. Similarly, equivalent structural changes made according to the contents of the description and drawings of the present invention are to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention.