U.S. patent number RE36,968 [Application Number 09/081,467] was granted by the patent office on 2000-11-28 for portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port control board and a u-shaped frame.
Invention is credited to Ron-Yen Shieh.
United States Patent |
RE36,968 |
Shieh |
November 28, 2000 |
Portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board and a U-shaped frame
Abstract
A portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer)
port control board including: a casing including an upper cover and
a lower cover engaged with the upper cover; and a control board
fixedly fitted in the lower cover and having a parallel (printer)
port interface input connector partly protruding out the casing, a
parallel (printer) port output connector partly protruding out of
the casing, and a hard disk drive connector provided at its both
ends with a rack thus forming a U-shaped frame for receiving a hard
disk drive.
Inventors: |
Shieh; Ron-Yen (Taipei,
TW) |
Family
ID: |
26765370 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/081,467 |
Filed: |
May 19, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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081236 |
Jun 25, 1993 |
5406450 |
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Reissue of: |
243382 |
May 16, 1994 |
05519571 |
May 21, 1996 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.31;
439/638 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
1/184 (20130101); G06F 1/185 (20130101); G06F
1/186 (20130101); G06F 1/187 (20130101); H01R
31/065 (20130101); H05K 5/0273 (20130101); H05K
5/0282 (20130101); H01R 12/724 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
1/18 (20060101); H01R 31/06 (20060101); H05K
5/02 (20060101); G06F 001/16 (); H05K 007/10 ();
H01R 033/88 () |
Field of
Search: |
;361/683-686,737,785,803,733 ;439/74,76.1,638,639,654,655 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Needleman, T., "CD-ROM on the run", Accounting Technology, vol. 9,
Issue 4, pp. 58-60, Jun. 1993. .
Firester, J., "Valitek tape drive:your portable guardian",
Computers in Accounting, vol. 8, No. 7, p. 57, Sep. 1992..
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Primary Examiner: Feild; Lynn D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Reidelbach, Jr.; Charles F.
Presseisen & Reidelbach, P.C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE
This application is a continuation-in-part of the patent
application Ser. No. 08/081,236, filed Jun. 25, 1993, now U.S. Pat.
No. 5,406,450.
Claims
I claim:
1. A portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer)
port control board comprising:
a casing including an upper cover and a lower cover engaged with
the upper cover; and
a control board fixedly fitted in said lower cover and having a
parallel (printer) port interface input connector partly protruding
out of said casing, a parallel (printer) port output connector
partly protruding out of said casing, and a hard disk drive
connector having two parallel racks each extending outwardly from
each end of said hard disk drive connector thus forming a U-shaped
frame for receiving a hard disk drive.
2. The portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer)
port control board as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper cover
is formed with a recess above said U-shaped frame thereby making it
easier to engage or disengage a hard disk drive with said hard disk
drive connector. .Iadd.
3. An adapter for connecting a portable data storage device to a
computer having an externally disposed printer parallel port
connector, said adapter comprising:
a casing;
a control card mounted within said casing;
a frame in said casing, said casing having an exposed opening
aligned with said frame to allow ready insertion and removal of a
portable data storage device into said casing and received in said
frame;
a first connector mounted within said casing and electrically
connected to said control card, said first connector adapted to
mate with a connector on said portable data storage drive when said
portable data storage device is inserted in said frame;
a second connector fixed to said casing and electrically connected
to said control card and adapted to mate with said computer printer
parallel port connector to support said casing on said computer;
and
a third connector carried on said casing and electrically connected
to said control card and adapted to mate with a printer cable
connector, whereby said adapter can be connected to said computer
printer parallel port by said second connector and enable any
portable data storage device inserted into said casing to be
accessed by said computer..Iaddend..Iadd.4. The adapter according
to claim 3 wherein said frame is U-shaped with said casing opening
aligned with said U-shaped frame..Iaddend..Iadd.5. The adapter
according to claim 3 wherein said portable data storage device
comprises a portable hard disk drive..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although note book computers allow further reduction in size and
weight, most users still prefer to carry the hard disk drive and
interface board if the place to which they are going is provided
with computer(s). This is just because the note book computer is
larger and heavier than the hard disk drive. Nevertheless, the
commonly used hard disk drive is still too large in size and
furthermore, it is necessary to dismantle the computer for
installing the hard disk drive thereby causing much inconvenience
in use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board which may obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned
drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a potable hard disk drive connector with
a parallel (printer) port control board.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a
portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board with which a 1.8" hard disk drive or other sized hard
disk drive with PCMCIA interface may be connected.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board which is lightweight and compact in size.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board which is low in cost.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
portable hard disk drive connector with a parallel (printer) port
control board which can be connected to a computer printer port
directly without extra cable.
The invention accordingly consists of features of constructions and
method, combination of elements, arrangement of parts and steps of
the method which will be exemplified in the constructions and
method hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of which
will be indicated in the claim following.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a working view of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be
understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.
Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology
employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of
limitation.
Turning now to the drawing figures in which like numerals represent
like parts, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will
now be described. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the
portable hard disk connector with a parallel (printer) port control
board according to the present invention comprises a casing 1
composed of an upper cover 3 and a lower cover 2. A plurality of
threaded sleeves 4 are formed on the lower cover so that the upper
cover 3 may be engaged with the lower cover 2 by engaging screws 5
with the threaded sleeves 4. Fitted in the lower cover 2 is a
control card 6 which is provided with a parallel (printer) port
interface input connector 7, a parallel (printer) port output
connector 8, and a hard disk connector 10. The parallel (printer)
port interface input connector 7 and the parallel (printer) port
output connector 8 partly protrude out of the casing 1. The hard
disk connector 10 is provided at both ends with a rack 9 thereby
forming a U-shaped frame for facilitating the engagement between a
1.8" hard disk 12 or other sized hard disk drive with PCMCIA
interface and the hard disk connector 10. Further, the upper cover
3 is formed with a recess 15 so as to make it easier to disengage
the hard disk 12 from the hard disk connector 10. Accordingly, the
connector 7 can be directly connected with a printer connector of a
computer (see FIG. 3) and it will be convenient to read the data in
the hard disk drive 12. The technique for an interface control
board is well known to those skilled in the art and is not
considered a part of the invention. Furthermore, the control board
6 is fixedly mounted on the lower cover 2 by engaging screws 13
with the threaded sleeves 14 thereof.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the portable hard disk drive connector
with a parallel (printer) port control board according to the
present invention comprises a parallel (printer) port interface
input connector 7, a parallel (printer) port output connector 8,
and a hard disk drive connector 10. Hence, the present invention
can be conveniently connected to a printer connector of a
computer.
It should be noted, however, that the hard disk drive connector 10
may be replaced with a PCMCIA socket, IDE connector, or ATA (AT
Attachment) connector as required.
The invention accordingly consists of features of constructions and
method, combination of elements, arrangement of parts and steps of
the method which will be exemplified in the constructions and
method hereinafter disclosed, the scope of the application of which
will be indicated in the claim following.
* * * * *