Method of manufacturing a memory card package

Abstract

A process by which a package for a memory card is manufactured. The package comprises chiefly two stamped steel covers, (an upper and a lower cover half), each secured to a plastic frame element. The cover halves are secured by extended fingers which wrap around the plastic frame. This provides a double layer of metal at the perimeter of the frame. The two cover halves are situated so as to encapsulate the subject pcb and to affix it in its proper position. The two cover halves are then welded together using sonic welding on the plastic frame. The package has been designed to meet all PCMCIA standards, including polarizing keys and grounding points.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application 20 10 extends above one-half of the perimeter upper surface of the lower frame element 18. A corresponding energy director element 22 (not shown) extends along one-half of the lower perimeter surface of the upper frame element 16. These energy directors 20 & 22 mate with the corresponding frame surface to form the weld during the sonic welding process.

A polarizing key 24 is located at a corner of the lower frame element 18. The polarizing key 24 defines how the PCMCIA style peripheral device mates with the device in which it is being used. The polarizing key is defined for a given use by PCMCIA.

In order to facilitate bonding, the edges of the covers 12 & 14 are bent to conform to the shape of the frame elements 16 & 18. In addition, metal fingers 26 are provided on each side of the covers 12 & 14. The metal fingers 26 become embedded in the plastic frame elements 16 & 18 during the bonding and/or molding process to form an integral frame cover element. This ensures that the two halves of the package can be securely affixed to each other. The covers 12 & 14 being wrapped around the frame elements 16 & 18 also serves to strengthen the package due to the fact that a double layer of metal is formed at the perimeter of the package.

The manufacture or the PCMCIA style peripheral device with its package is accomplished as follows: first, the upper and lower covers 12 & 14 are stamped. The covers 12 & 14 are then mated with the frame elements 16 & 18. This is accomplished by injection molding. The covers 12 & 14 are placed into a mold, where they are "self-secured" in position. The self-securing is accomplished by the geometry and dimensions of the covers 12 & 14. The covers 12 & 14 are stamped to be slightly wider than the mold. Thus the covers are slightly sprung when they are placed into the mold, and remain in the proper position for the injection process. Certainly there is no requirement that the covers be self-secured in the mold. Any means or securing will suffice.

The plastic frame elements 16 & 18 are then shot into the mold. As the plastic frames are molded, the metal fingers 26 on the covers 12 & 14 become embedded in the frame elements 16 & 18 so that separation of the covers 12 & 14 from the frame elements 16 & 18 cannot take place. The end result of the Molding process is that the covers 12 & 14 have a metal surface exposed at their sides to create a grounding point when bonded together. Further toward the interior of the unit, the plastic energy directors 20 & 22 are also exposed to facilitate bonding.

One aspect of using an injection molding process is that injection molding requires that ejector pins 17 be provided on the frame elements 16 & 18. In the present invention, the ejector pins 17 are also used to position a PCB 28 that is to be packaged in the package 10. The pins 17 provide a supporting surface for the PCB 28 which can be adjusted to any height desired for a particular application. Thus an element necessary for the injection process becomes a key for the positioning of the board in the package. Positioning of the PCB is therefore accomplished easily and at minimal additional cost.

The energy directors 20 & 22 are then sonic welded to the opposing plastic frame element so that the upper frame element 16 is permanently bonded to the lower frame element 18, both of which encase the PCB 28.

Thus the covers are secured to the frame elements, which in turn are welded to each other. This ensures that the memory card package will be very reliable and durable, and that the package height is controlled.

It should be noted that it is envisioned that the bonding process between the cover elements may also be performed by resistance welding.

A further option is to inject a foam into the interior of the package which would crystallize and act as an insulator or a heat sink.

It should also be noted that in practice, a card manufacturer will receive the two cover halves ready for welding, and will be the supplier of the board. Because the package has a modular design, it will accommodate many different connectors. Further, because the package manufacturer has accomplished a secure bonding of dissimilar materials, the metal covers bonded to the plastic frame, the bonding required by the card manufacturer is a simple process involving only bonding of like materials, i.e. plastic to plastic sonic welding.

The above disclosure is not intended as limiting. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings or the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a package for a memory card, the method comprising the following steps of:

A. Stamping stamping metal covers to a size marginally larger than a mold in an injection molding process;

B. Bending bending edges of said covers to conform to an intended shape of a frame element, the edges including fingers extending from the cover sides;

C. Inserting inserting the covers into a mold in an injection molding process where they are slightly sprung and thus secure themselves in position;

D. Shooting shooting plastic frame elements into the mold so that fingers included on the covers become embedded in the frames;

E. Removing removing said covers from said mold;

F. Positioning positioning a pcb between two covers, the pcb being held in the proper location by means of ejector pins on the plastic frames, the ejector pins being formed as a part of the molding process; and

G. Bonding bonding the plastic frame elements together so that a package is formed.

2. The process as claimed in claim method of claim 1 wherein: the bonding process (G) is sonic welding.

3. The process as claimed in claim method of claim 1 wherein: the bonding process (G) is resistance welding.

4. The process as claimed in claim method of claim 1 wherein: the bonding process (G) utilizes adhesives.

5. The process as claimed in claim method of claim 1 wherein: interior surfaces of the covers are coated with a thin layer of nonconductive material before the pcb is positioned between the two covers. 6. A method of manufacturing a package for a memory card, the method comprising the steps of:

A. stamping metal covers;

B. bending edges of said covers to conform to an intended shape of a frame element, the edges including fingers extending from the cover sides;

C. inserting the covers into a mold;

D. shooting plastic into the mold to form the frame element around the fingers;

E. removing said covers from said mold;

F. positioning a pcb between two covers; and

G. bonding the plastic frame elements together so that a package is

formed.7. The method of claim 6 wherein the bonding process is sonic welding.8. The method of claim 6 wherein the bonding process is resistance welding.9. The method of claim 6 wherein the bonding process utilizes adhesives.10. The method of claim 6 wherein interior surfaces of the covers are coated with a thin layer of nonconductive material before the pcb is positioned

between the two covers.11. A method of manufacturing a package for a memory card, the method comprising the steps of:

A. stamping metal covers to a size larger than a mold in an injection molding process;

B. bending edges of said covers to conform to an intended shape of a frame element, the edges including fingers;

C. inserting the covers into a mold in an injection molding process where they are slightly sprung and thus secure themselves in position;

D. shooting plastic into the mold to form the frame element around the fingers;

E. removing said covers from said mold;

F. positioning a pcb between two covers; and

G. bonding the plastic frame elements together so that a package is formed.12. The method of claim 11 wherein the bonding process Is sonic welding.13. The method of claim 11 wherein the bonding process is resistance welding.14. The method of claim 11 wherein the bonding process utilizes adhesives.15. The method of claim 11 wherein interior surfaces of the covers are coated with a thin layer of nonconductive material before the pcb is positioned between the two covers.