Ring-Shaped USB Flash Drive Packaging for Compact Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

USB flash drives (UFDs) are not designed to resemble standard CD or DVD formats, making it difficult to package and store multiple units together in a compact and recognizable manner.

Innovation Solution

A USB flash drive shaped as a sector of a ring, allowing for reversible packaging with snap latches to form a complete ring shape, similar to a standard CD or DVD, enabling efficient storage and portability of multiple devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If USB flash drives are packaged as single units in conventional formats, then individual device protection is achieved, but storage efficiency and portability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of devices per package

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple compartments, each designed to accommodate a single USB flash drive. This segmentation allows multiple drives to be organized separately within a unified package structure, enabling efficient storage of multiple devices while maintaining individual protection for each drive.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple individual USB flash drive packages are merged into a single ring-shaped packaging structure. The housing combines multiple compartments into one unified object that resembles a standard CD or DVD case, allowing users to carry and store multiple drives together in a compact, recognizable format.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If USB flash drives use non-standard shapes, then device functionality is optimized, but compatibility with standard storage cases is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging compatibilityVSAvoidhousing shape design

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ring-shaped housing serves multiple functions: it protects individual USB flash drives in separate compartments, combines multiple drives into a single portable unit, and mimics the dimensions and appearance of standard CD/DVD cases. This universal design allows the packaging to be compatible with existing optical disc storage infrastructure while accommodating non-standard USB drive shapes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If multiple USB flash drives are stored together without individual compartments, then packaging simplicity is achieved, but device protection and organization are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging structureVSAvoiddevice protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7775443B2Portable data storage device and packaging method

Publication Date: 2010.08.17 SANDISK ISRAEL LTD

AI summary

A portable data storage device (such as a USB flash drive) including a housing shaped to facilitate a reversible packaging of at least one such portable data storage device into an object having a shape of a ring, preferably having dimensions of a standard CD ROM, a non-volatile memory within the housing for storing digital information, and a connecting mechanism protruding from the housing for reversibly operationally connecting the non-volatile memory to a host. The housing includes a mechanism for reversibly packaging together the portable data storage device to other such portable data storage devices. The scope of the invention also includes a method of distributing such portable data storage devices.