USB device with case having integrated plug shell
AssigneeSuper Talent Electronics, Inc.
InventorJim Ni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) device includes a PCBA mounted inside a plastic housing, which in turn is inserted and secured inside an outer case. The case is made of metal, and includes a handle portion that is integrally connected to a plug shell. The plug shell extends over a plug portion of the PCBA, which is mounted on a corresponding substrate portion of the housing, forming a structural arrangement similar to a conventional male USB connector plug, but without having the plug shell soldered to the PCBA. The case is, for example, sheet metal that is folded into a frame-like box for receiving the housing. The handle portion engages a cover portion of the housing such that plastic tabs are received in slots formed in the casing walls.
Claims14
A Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) device comprising:
- a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including:
- a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposing upper and lower surfaces and including a PCB body section and a PCB plug section,
- a plurality of metal contacts disposed on the upper surface of the PCB plug section, and
- at least one integrated circuit (IC) mounted on the PCB body section, the IC including means for processing USB signals transmitted to the plurality of metal contacts;
- and
- a plastic housing including a cover portion mounted over the PCB body section such that the IC is enclosed inside the cover portion, and a plug substrate portion integrally connected to and extending from the cover portion, wherein the PCB plug section is fixedly attached to the plug substrate portion such that the plug substrate portion covers the lower surface of the PCB plug section, and the upper surface of the PCB plug section is exposed above the plug substrate portion;
- and a case comprising folded sheet metal including a handle portion fixedly secured around the cover portion of the plastic housing, and a metal plug shell integrally connected to and extending from the handle portion such that a lower shell wall of the plug shell contacts a lower surface of the plug substrate portion and an upper shell wall of the plug shell is positioned over and spaced from the upper surface of the PCB plug section by a predetermined gap distance,
- wherein the cover portion of the plastic housing includes a tab and the handle portion of the case defines a slot, and wherein the tab is received inside the slot.
A method for manufacturing (Universal Serial Bus) devices comprising:
- forming a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including a printed circuit board having a body section and a plug section, an integrated circuit mounted on the body section, and a plurality of metal contacts disposed on the plug section;
- forming an assembly by mounting the PCBA inside a plastic housing such that a cover portion of the housing covers the body section of the PCBA, and a plug substrate portion of the housing extends under the plug section such that the metal contacts are exposed on an upper surface of the plug substrate portion, and a tab extends from a surface of the cover portion;
- and
- mounting the assembly inside of a case comprising folded sheet metal such that the cover portion of the housing is surrounded by a handle portion of the case, such that the plug substrate portion of the housing extends into a metal plug shell that is integrally connected to the handle portion, and such that the tab extending from the cover portion is engaged in a slot formed in the handle portion of the case, thereby locking the housing to the case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.