Abstract: A molded secured digital (SD) card having a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The molded SD card further having a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned in said cavity, one of said plurality of lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having a notch recess, said molded SD card further having a male guide insertably positioned into said notch recess, said molded SD card further having a female switch clamped onto said male guide to form a write-protect switch.

Abstract: An MMC/SD core unit includes a PCBA in which all passive components and unpackaged IC chips are attached to a single side of a PCB opposite to the metal contacts. The IC chips include, for example, a controller chip and a flash memory chip, or a single-chip (combined controller/flash memory) chip. Multiple flash IC chips are optionally stacked to increase storage capacity. The IC chip(s) are attached to the PCB by wire bonding or other chip-on-board (COB) technique. The passive components are attached by conventional surface mount technology (SMT) techniques. A molded housing is then formed over the IC chips and passive components such that the device has a uniform thickness. The MMC/SD core unit is then inserted or otherwise mounted in an eternal casing to provide a finished MMC/SD device.

Abstract: A flash-memory device has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a PCB with a flash-memory chip and a controller chip. The controller chip includes an external Secure-Digital (SD) interface, and a processing unit to read blocks of data from the flash-memory chip. The PCBA is encased inside an upper case and a lower case, with SD contact pads on the PCB that fit through contact openings in the upper case. Dividers between openings in the upper case that expose the SD contact pads also support the PCB at a slanted angle to the centerline of the device. The PCB slants upward at the far end to allow more thickness for the chips mounted to the bottom surface of the PCB. A user-slidable switch may be slanted to compensate for the PCB slant. The PCB may have a flex section to facilitate the slant without a slanted switch.

Abstract: A flash-memory device has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a PCB with a flash-memory chip and a controller chip. The controller chip includes an external Secure-Digital (SD) interface, and a processing unit to read blocks of data from the flash-memory chip. The PCBA is encased inside an upper case and a lower case, with SD contact pads on the PCB that fit through contact openings in the upper case. Dividers between openings in the upper case that expose the SD contact pads also support the PCB at a slanted angle to the centerline of the device. The PCB slants upward at the far end to allow more thickness for the chips mounted to the bottom surface of the PCB, and slants downward at the insertion end to position the SD contact pads near the centerline. A metal switch-bar or an over-molded controller die may be substituted.

Abstract: A secured digital (SD) card including a bottom plastic piece having a plurality of lateral sides, said bottom plastic piece further having a cavity interposed along said plurality of lateral sides, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The SD card further having a top cover and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly positioned in said cavity, said top cover for covering said PCB assembly inside said cavity, one of said plurality of lateral sides of said bottom plastic piece having a notch, said SD card further having a male guide insertably positioned inside said notch, said SD card further having a female switch clamped onto said male guide to form a write-protect switch.

Abstract: An anti-sway trailer hitch connection is provided for use between a towing vehicle and a trailer and includes structure whereby slight left and right lateral movement of the forward end of the towing vehicle will not be translated into right and left lateral movement, respectively, of the forward end of the trailer, and thereby eliminates the tendency of a trailer to sway back and forth while a towing vehicle changes lanes on a highway or is acted on by cross-wind gusts from the passing of a large vehicle.

Abstract: A removable Flash integrated memory module card has a plastic shell and an integral Flash memory module. On the backside of the card, there are exposed contact pads. When the card is inserted into a card-hosting device, the card can communicate with the device through the exposed pads. The manufacturing method includes manufacturing of the memory module and utilizing plastic molding techniques for making the card outer body. The method involves preparing the substrate, mounting the components, testing the module, preparing the molding device, and molding the card body.

Abstract: A universal serial bus (USB) flash drive pen device for deploying and retracting a USB plug connector having a pusher assembly including a USB flash drive and a USB plug connector, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The USB flash drive pen device further includes a housing assembly at least partially enclosing said pusher assembly for deploying said USB plug connector, said USB flash drive being coupled to said USB plug connector, said pusher assembly retracting said USB plug connector into said housing assembly, said USB flash drive pen device for deploying said USB plug connector to couple said USB flash drive to a USB port.

Abstract: Plastic casings are simultaneously molded onto several PCBAs attached to a carrier in a closely-spaced arrangement. All edges of each PCBA have integral connecting segments that extend through grooves formed in the associated mold assembly, and are pinched when the molds assembly is closed to precisely and reliably position the PCBA inside of an associated cavity during the molding process. In one embodiment, the PCB substrate is positioned in a bent arrangement to accommodate the use of inexpensive memory devices. Write-protect switches are provided.

Abstract: A flash-memory device has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a PCB with a flash-memory chip and a controller chip. The controller chip includes an input/output interface circuit to an external computer over a Secure-Digital (SD) interface, and a processing unit to read blocks of data from the flash-memory chip. The PCBA is encased inside an upper case and a lower case, with SD contact pads on the PCB that fit through contact openings in the upper case. Supporting end ribs under each of the SD contact pads and middle ribs support the PCB at a slanted angle to the centerline of the device. The PCB slants upward at the far end to allow more thickness for the chips mounted to the bottom surface of the PCB, and slants downward at the insertion end to position the SD contact pads near the centerline.

Abstract: Secure-digital (SD) type memory cards are produced using one or more prefabricated cover portions and a molded casing portion. A sub-assembly is formed by mounting a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) onto the cover portion such that the contact pads of the PCBA are exposed through associated windows defined in the cover. The sub-assembly is placed into a cavity formed in a mold assembly, and molten thermoplastic material is then injected into each cavity of the mold assembly under heat and pressure using known injection molding techniques, thereby forming a molded plastic casing portion that secures the PCBA to the cover and completes the memory card housing.

Abstract: An anti-sway trailer hitch connection is provided for use between a towing vehicle and a trailer and includes structure whereby slight left and right lateral movement of the forward end of the towing vehicle will not be translated into right and left lateral movement, respectively, of the forward end of the trailer, and thereby eliminates the tendency of a trailer to sway back and forth while a towing vehicle changes lanes on a highway or is acted on by cross-wind gusts from the passing of a large vehicle.

Abstract: A removable Flash integrated memory module card has a plastic shell and an integral Flash memory module. On the backside of the card, there are exposed contact pads. When the card is inserted into a card-hosting device, the card can communicate with the device through the exposed pads. The manufacturing method includes manufacturing of the memory module and utilizing plastic molding techniques for making the card outer body. The method involves preparing the substrate, mounting the components, testing the module, preparing the molding device, and molding the card body.

Abstract: A removable cooler on the memory module wherein the PC board is able to attach on the memory module without any modification. The cooler contains a heat sink module and a cooler module. The heat sink module is combined by two heat conductive heat sinks placed oppositely and screwed or tenoned on the memory module to stimulate heat exchange above the extension part of the heat sinks. The cooler module could be a fan or heat conductive tube. As a fan, it could be buckled on the memory module socket for the extension part of the heat sinks to stimulate heat exchange. As a heat conduction tube screwed or tenoned against the extension part of the heat sinks, it stimulates heat exchange and provides heat dispensation function to assure the performance of the memory module.

Abstract: A removable cooler on the memory module wherein the PC board is able to attach on the memory module without any modification. The cooler contains a heat sink module and a cooler module. The heat sink module is combined by two heat conductive heat sinks placed oppositely and screwed or tenoned on the memory module to stimulate heat exchange above the extension part of the heat sinks. The cooler module could be a fan or heat conductive tube. As a fan, it could be buckled on the memory module socket for the extension part of the heat sinks to stimulate heat exchange. As a heat conduction tube screwed or tenoned against the extension part of the heat sinks, it stimulates heat exchange and provides heat dispensation function to assure the performance of the memory module.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber deposits thin films on a substrate by sputtering a target. The beam of atoms or ions from the target is partially blocked by a shadow or adjustable uniformity mask, reducing the deposition rate onto the substrate. The adjustable uniformity mask has several adjustable fingers. The fingers extend or retract to enlarge or reduce the size of the mask. Each finger covers a different annular region or radius of the substrate. The deposition rate at different substrate radii is thus adjustable by the fingers. Several optical beams monitor the film transmittance at different substrate radii. A transmittance profile is continually generated during deposition. As deposition proceeds, radii with a thicker film have their fingers extended to reduce their deposition rate, producing a more uniform film thickness across all radii. Motors extend or retract the individual fingers.

Abstract: A trailer hitch assembly for connecting a towing vehicle to a towed trailer having symmetrical anti-sway features. The assembly includes a hitch ball rigidly affixed to a hitch beam extending transversely from the rear of the towing vehicle. A pair of spring-biased telescopic compressible and extendable control rods are connected to each end of the hitch beam and at their other ends to a control beam. A hitch bar is connected to the hitch ball on the towing vehicle and pivotally connected to the forward end of a trailer coupler that intersects and is pivotally connected to the central portion of the control beam by a pivot member. The pivot member is integral with the control beam and includes a control arm having a roller engaged with a downwardly opening slotted rearward end of the hitch bar. The trailer coupler includes a trailer hitch ball to which a trailer coupler socket is connected, with the trailer coupler socket being rigidly affixed to the tongue or frame of the towed vehicle.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber deposits thin films on a substrate by sputtering a target. The beam of atoms or ions from the target is partially blocked by a shadow or adjustable uniformity mask, reducing the deposition rate onto the substrate. The adjustable uniformity mask has several adjustable fingers. The fingers extend or retract to enlarge or reduce the size of the mask. Each finger covers a different annular region or radius of the substrate. The deposition rate at different substrate radii is thus adjustable by the fingers. Several optical beams monitor the film transmittance at different substrate radii. A transmittance profile is continually generated during deposition. As deposition proceeds, radii with a thicker film have their fingers extended to reduce their deposition rate, producing a more uniform film thickness across all radii. Motors extend or retract the individual fingers.

Abstract: A sputtering chamber has a target that moves with an orbital motion relative to an ion beam. An X-Y assembly allows for target movement in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The X-Y assembly has a base plate, an intermediate plate, and a target mounting plate that attaches to the target. The plates are connected together by bearing blocks that slide along rails in the X and Y directions. A rotating shaft has gears that rotate a center shaft through the base and intermediate plates. The rotating center shaft has an arm on its end that attaches to the target mounting plate. The arm produces an orbital movement of the target. Rather than simply rotating the target around the center shaft, the center of the target orbits around the center of the center shaft. Ion-beam wear is spread across the target surface, extending target life and improving deposition uniformity.

Abstract: A removable cooler on the memory module wherein the PC board is able to attach on the memory module without any modification. The cooler contains a heat sink module and a cooler module. The heat sink module is combined by two heat conductive heat sinks placed oppositely and screwed or tenoned on the memory module to stimulate heat exchange above the extension part of the heat sinks. The cooler module could be a fan or heat conductive tube. As a fan, it could be buckled on the memory module socket for the extension part of the heat sinks to stimulate heat exchange. As a heat conduction tube screwed or tenoned against the extension part of the heat sinks, it stimulates heat exchange and provides heat dispensation function to assure the performance of the memory module.