Patent Abstract:
A card reader having a memory card inserted can be disposed inside a storage box. A cover and a base of the storage box include an opening when the storage box is closed. This structure allows a transmission line connected to the card reader to stretch out of the storage box through the opening when the cover of the box is closed.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a memory card reader, and more specifically, to a memory card reader with a storage box. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   With the popularity of digital cameras, palm-sized digital devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), and MP3 players, various kinds of small storage devices are becoming available. Generally it is flash cards that prevail among the area of small storage devices. Some widely known and used small storage device cards are COMPACT FLASH (CF), XD-PICTURE, SECURE DIGITAL (SD), MULTIMEDIACARD (MMC), REDUCED MMC, SMARTMEDIA (SM), MEMORY STICK (including MAGIC GATE, MEMORY STICK PRO and DUO), and MINI SD. 
   Since the variety and capacity of flash cards is growing continuously, the need to transmit data between different types of memory cards is of great concern. Therefore, accessing data by connecting a memory card to a computer with a serial port interface or with one single universal serial bus (USB) transmission line is no longer suitable. 
   A flash card reader solves the above problem. With a flash card reader, data on various types of memory cards can be exchanged, without use of a digital camera or PDA, greatly promoting the interchangeability of data. Many kinds of card readers are available, each with its specialty. Some features employed include supporting a plurality of kinds or volumes of memory cards, having different types of transmission interfaces, and combination with other computer peripherals such as a computer mouse, a monitor, or a 5.25-inch/3.5-inch mobile rack installed on the computer case. Nevertheless, the connectors to a memory card in these card readers are all designed as an exposed socket in order to reduce the size of the card reader and to allow easy insertion/ejection of the memory card. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is an illustration of a prior art card reader device  10 . The card reader device  10  comprises a card reader  12 , a plurality of sockets  14 , and a transmission line  16 . The plurality of sockets  14  are each designed for different types of memory cards  191 ,  192 . In order to prevent the socket  14  of the card reader device  10  from dust or dirt contamination that can affect performance, a removable dust cover  18  is installed on the socket  14 . 
   However, such design leads to a potential risk: the connector of the card reader  12  can be contaminated faster if the dust cover  18  gets lost. Moreover, when a memory card  191 ,  192  is plugged into the socket  14 , part of the memory card  191 ,  192  is still exposed outside the card reader  12 , making it vulnerable to any unexpected external force. Taiwan Patent No. 566,627 “Improvement of a Card Reader Structure” teaches a dust protection mechanism having a supporting rack arranged around a card reader. Since the supporting rack is connected to the shell of the card reader, the supporting rack is not easily lost. While this patent solves the above-mentioned dust prevention problem of a generic card reader, a memory card in use is still unsafe since part of the memory card is exposed outside the card reader. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   Therefore, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a portable device with a storage box containing a data access device. 
   The present invention provides a portable device having a storage box for containing a data access device comprising: a data access device for accessing data; and a storage box for containing the data access device, the storage box comprising a cover and a base wherein when the cover of the box is closed an opening exists allowing a transmission line connected to the data access device to stretch out of the box. 
   These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior art card reader device. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the present invention portable device with a storage box. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the portable device of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a left view of the portable device of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the present invention when a memory card is plugged into a socket of a card reader in a storage box. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the present invention portable device that is in use when the cover and the base of the storage box are closed. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the present invention portable device that is not in use when the cover and the base of the storage box are closed. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the present invention portable device  20 .  FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the portable device of  FIG. 2 . The portable device  20  comprises a storage box  21  composed of a cover  22  and a base  24 , a card reader  26 , an elastic body  30 , and a transmission line  32 . The cover  22  and the base  24  of the storage box  21  have notches  341 ,  342  respectively to form an opening  34  as the cover  22  is closed onto the base  24 , allowing the transmission line  32  to stretch out of the storage box  21 . A hook  231  and a fastener  232  are disposed respectively on the front end of the cover  22  and the front end of the base  24  to lock the cover  22  and the base  24  when the storage box  21  is closed. A plurality of sockets  28  are disposed on the front end of the card reader  26 , allowing insertion of a plurality types of memory cards. In addition, a mirror  36  and a card-holding slot  37  are disposed inside the cover  22  of the storage box  21 . 
   The card reader  26  is disposed inside the storage box  21  where the back end of the card reader  26  is removably connected to the base  24  of the storage box  21 . Therefore, the card reader  26  is capable of being disposed directly inside the storage box  21  for complete protection, as well as being removed from the storage box  21 . 
   To be more convenient in receiving a memory card into the card reader  26 , an elastic body  30 , e.g. a spring, is further disposed on the base  24  of the storage box  21 . One end of the elastic body  30  is connected to the card reader  26  and the other end of the elastic body  30  is connected to the base  24 , allowing the front end of the card reader  26  to elastically spring away from the base  24  as the cover  22  is lifted, i.e., when the hook  231  is no longer locked to the fastener  232 . The elastic body  30  allows the front end of the card reader  26  to rise up to a height that allows insertion of a memory card into the socket  28 . When closing the storage box  21 , the cover  22  presses down on the card reader  26  (with or without a memory card plugged into the socket  28 ) together with the elastic body  30  until the hook  231  of the cover  22  is locked to the fastener  232  of base  24 . 
   In addition, the back end of the cover  22  is rotatably connected (i.e. hinged) to the back end of the base  24 . When the hook  231  and the fastener  232  are locked, the cover  22  and the base  24  are closed to provide protection to the card reader  26 . As the cover  22  opens, the cover  22  is capable of rotating to any angle about the axis of the back end of the cover  22 . Inside the cover  22 , the card-holding slot  37  allows storage of unused memory cards. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a left view of the present invention portable device. As  FIG. 4  shows, the opening  34  exists when the cover  24  is closed to the base  24  of the storage box  21 . The opening  34  allows for the transmission line  32 , which is connected to the card reader  26 , to stretch out of the storage box  21 . The transmission line  32  is removably connected to the card reader  26  and generally is a universal serial bus (USB), FIREWIRE, or other type of interface. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the present invention storage device  20  when a memory card  27  is plugged into the card reader  26  in the storage box  21 . A distance between the front end of the storage box  21  and the front end of the card reader  26  forms a card area  38  which is longer than a length of the exposed part of the memory card  26  when the memory card  26  is plugged into the socket  28  of the card reader  26 . Therefore, the card reader  26  and the plugged-in memory card  27  are fully contained in the storage box  21  when the memory card  27  is plugged into the card reader  26 . Even when a memory card  27  is in use, the remaining sockets  28  of the card reader  26  are still protected, and the memory card  27  has no risk of being inadvertently removed from the card reader  26  or of being damaged. These advantages are not provided in any prior art. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device  20  in which the transmission line  32  along with the card reader  26  are not in use and contained in the storage box  21  (the cover  22  is not shown). As  FIG. 6  shows, a space exists between one side of the card reader  26  and one side of the storage box  21  for holding the transmission line  32  when not in use.  FIG. 7  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device  20 . The card reader  26  comprises a cavity  40  on one side for holding the transmission line  32  when not in use. Compared with the previous exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 6 , the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 7  saves more space inside the storage box  21 . 
   Compared with the prior art, the present invention card reader device has better dust and damage preventing and safety functions by fully containing a card reader in a storage box. Please further refer to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 .  FIG. 8  illustrates the present invention portable device  20  in use with the cover  22  and the base  24  of the storage box  21  closed, wherein the card reader  26  and the memory card  27  are fully enveloped in the storage box  21  and are not shown in the figure. The transmission line  32  in use is exposed outside the storage box  21 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the present invention portable device  20  not in use when the cover  22  and the base  24  of the storage box  21  are closed, wherein the card reader  26  and the memory card  27  are fully enveloped in the storage box  21  and are not shown in the figure. The transmission line  32  not in use is also enveloped in the storage box  21  and is not shown in the figure. The present invention portable device  20  is capable of being closed at any time regardless of whether the card reader  26  within is in use or not, adding to the convenience, safety, and appearance of the invention. 
   The present invention portable device is capable of storing and protecting not just a card reader, a portable hard disk or a portable CD-ROM is also capable of being applied to the present invention portable device, which provides these computer peripherals with more convenience and safety than the prior art applications. Please refer to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 10  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device  20 . Different from the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 2 , the card reader  26  is replaced by a CD-ROM  42 . As the cover  22  is separated from the base  24  of the storage box  21 , the front end of the CD-ROM  42  is raised due to the pushing action of the elastic body  30  so that the disk tray of the CD-ROM  42  is free to open. After disk tray is drawn back into the CD-ROM  42 , the storage box  21  can be closed so that the cover  22  presses down on the CD-ROM  42  along with the elastic body  30  until the hook  231  of the cover  22  is locked to the fastener  232  of the base  24 . 
     FIG. 11  illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the present invention portable device  20 . Different from the exemplary embodiment in  FIG. 2 , the card reader  26  is replaced by a hard disk  44 . The cover  22  is opened from the base  24  of the storage box  21  only when the hard disk  44  needs to be replaced. 
   Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7