Patent Publication Number: US-2006010737-A1

Title: Combination memory disk and liquid ornament

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a combination memory disk and liquid ornament, and the memory disk such as a USB flash disk.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Several patents have been granted regarding the combination of a liquid ornament with other objects to create a decorative effect; for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,380,926 several embodiments are disclosed, such as a cup having with a liquid ornament, or a toothbrush box with a liquid ornament.  
      However, no prior art discloses a combination memory disk and liquid ornament. Memory disks have been in use for over 10 years, and have become a necessary device for many people. Many design shapes for memory disks are developed each year, but none of the designs contain liquid ornaments.  
      Some users will hang their memory disks on their necks so that the memory disks look like a necklace. However, it is hard to make a memory disk become an attractive necklace.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A main objective of the present invention is to provide a combination memory disk and liquid ornament, which causes the memory disk seen more enjoyable and interesting. The present invention can also be easily used as an attractive necklace  
      Another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination memory disk and liquid ornament acts as a promotion good for an advertisement purpose.  
      In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the present invention, a combination memory disk and liquid ornament comprises an memory disk and a liquid ornament. The liquid ornament is coupled with the body of the memory disk. The liquid ornament has at least one liquid and a decorative structure. The decorative structure can be any attractive object such as a cute animal, or a logo such as a beer bottle or a trademark so that the present invention can achieve advertisement purpose.  
      According to some of embodiments, the size of the liquid ornament can be larger to increase ornamental effect. In addition, the liquid ornament can act as the container for the memory disk.  
      Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a first embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of a second embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a third embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a forth embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a forth embodiment according to the present invention, showing the memory disk on the overturned position.  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention, showing the memory disk being pulled out. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  for a first embodiment. A combination memory disk and liquid ornament  91  comprises two major components, a memory disk  10  and a liquid ornament  30 .  
      The memory disk  10  comprising a body  11 , a plug  12  and a circuit mechanism  13 . The body  11  has a front end  111 , a rear end  112  and two sides  113 ,  114 . The circuit mechanism  13  has a memory  14  and control circuits/IC (not shown). The plug  12  is mounted on the front end  111  of the body  11  and is electrically connected with the circuit mechanism  13 . The memory disk  10  shown on the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  is a USB flash disk which is the most popular memory disk these two years. A cap  18 , which is a component for many types of USB flash disks, is used to protect the plug  12  when the memory disk  10  is not used. Because the memory disk  10  (e.g. USB flash disk) is a well-known apparatus, the details of the memory disk  10  is not within the field of the subject matter of the present invention, and so details of such a mechanism for the memory disk  10  are not explained hereafter.  
      The liquid ornament  30  is coupled with the body  11  of the memory disk  10 . In the first embodiment, the liquid ornament  30  is coupled with the side  113  of the body  11 . The liquid ornament  30  comprises at least one liquid and a decorative structure  40 . According to the embodiment, there are two liquids, a first liquid  31  and a second liquid  32 . The second liquid  32  is less dense than the first liquid  31 , and they usually have different colors. The decorative structure  40  is insoluble and floats between the first liquid  31  and the second liquid  32 .  
      There are many ways to fix the liquid ornament  30  on the body  11 . However, since combining two objects are well known, the detailed description for doing so is omitted. For the first embodiment, the liquid ornament  30  is embedded in the body  11  so that the liquid ornament  30  looks like a integral portion of the body  11 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  for a second embodiment, a combination memory disk and liquid ornament  92 . In comparison with the aforesaid first embodiment, the major difference is that the liquid ornament  30  is coupled with the rear end  112  of the body  11  so that the liquid ornament  30  can be made thicker.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 5  for a third embodiment, a combination memory disk and liquid ornament  93 . The liquid ornament  30  has a recess  36  so that the plug  12  can be inserted therein. Therefore, the liquid ornament  30  can act as a cap  18  of the memory disk  10 . A string  50  can be connected with the liquid ornament  30  on an appropriate position so that a user can wear the string  50  on his/her neck. Therefore, the combination memory disk and liquid ornament  93  is like a necklace and the liquid ornament  30  becomes a necklace ornament.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  for a forth embodiment, a combination memory disk and liquid ornament  94 . The liquid ornament  30  is pivotly coupled with the rear end  112  of the body  11 . Since the pivot mechanism is well known, the detailed description for doing so is omitted. The liquid ornament  30  preferably has a recess  36   a  so that the memory disk  10  can be embedded in the recess  36   a . When the user needs to use the memory disk  10 , the user can overturn the memory disk  10  as shown on  FIG. 7 . Similarly, the string  50  can be applied in forth embodiment so that the combination memory disk and liquid ornament  94  can act as a necklace.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9  for a fifth embodiment, a combination memory disk and liquid ornament  95 . The liquid ornament  30  further comprises a shell  37  with a containing space  371  (the shell  37  can be an independent part attached to the liquid ornament  30 , or the shell  37  is an integral part of the liquid ornament  30 ). When the memory disk  10  is unused, it can be put in the containing space  371 . When the user intends to use, the user just pull the memory disk  10  out. In a preferred design, the shell  37  has an indentation  372  and the memory disk  10  has anti-slipping element  15  on the corresponding position of the indentation  372 . Then the user can use his finger to pull out the memory disk  10  very easily.  
      The common purpose of the third, forth and fifth embodiments is to increase the size of the liquid ornament  30 . In the forth and fifth embodiments, the liquid ornament  30  can even contain the memory disk  10 .  
      Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. Fro example, many memory disk is integrated with other function such as MP3 player function, audio recoding function etc. This type of multi-function electrical device is also a type of memory disk defined in the present invention.