Patent ID: 7535719

Claim:
A low-profile USB assembly adapted to be retractably accessed by a data terminal, said USB assembly comprising: a modular USB core component comprising: a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including: a card body, a non-volatile memory device mounted on the card body, a card reader interface circuit mounted on said card body, and a processing unit mounted on said card body and connected to said non-volatile memory device and said card reader interface circuit, wherein said card body comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of metal contacts disposed on the first surface, at least one passive component mounted on the second surface, wherein at least one of the non-volatile memory device, the card reader interface circuit and the processing unit comprises an unpackaged integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the second surface of the PCB handle section, and wherein a plurality of conductive traces are formed on the PCB such that each conductive trace is electrically connected to at least one of an associated metal contact, the IC die and the passive component; and a single-piece molded housing formed on the second surface of the PCBA such that said at least one passive component and said at least one IC die are covered by said molded housing, and such that substantially all of the first surface of the PCB is exposed; and a housing disposed around at least a portion of the modular USB core component such that the metal contacts are disposed adjacent to a front opening defined in the housing; and retractable means slidably connected to the housing and manually movable between a first position in which the metal contacts are covered by a wall, and a second position in which the metal contacts are exposed for access by the data terminal.