On an adapter mounting portion 3 a having a projecting cross section which is formed on a cap 3 of a small-sized memory card 1 , a recessed portion of an adapter 2 side is fitted so that both parts are formed as an integral unit in a replaceable manner Accordingly, the small-sized memory card 1 can maintain the dimensional compatibility with respect to existing memory cards whereby the small-sized memory card 1 can be used also in equipment which is designed to cope with the existing memory cards.
1. A memory card comprising:
a front surface-side;
a rear surface-side;
a front face;
a back face;
a cap defining dimensions of the memory card and having a front surface, a rear surface and a groove on said rear surface thereof;
a substrate having a front surface, a rear surface and external terminals arranged on said rear surface thereof;
a first flash memory chip arranged on the front surface of the substrate;
a controller chip for said flash memory chip arranged on said front surface of said substrate, and electrically connected with the external terminals;
wherein said first flash memory chip, the controller chip and said substrate are arranged in said groove,
said groove is formed at a front-face side half of said rear surface of the cap, and there is no wiring connection to said first flash memory chip and said controller at a back-face side half of said memory card,
wherein said substrate has a planar area which is equal to or less than one half of a planar area of said cap, and
wherein, in a direction of the long side of said cap, the length of said substrate is smaller than the length of one half of said cap.
2. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein a back-face side of said substrate and said groove are chamfered in plan view.
3. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein said cap is formed of resin having insulation property.
4. A memory card according to claim 1 , further comprising a first card removing groove formed on said rear surface of said cap in a vicinity of said back face of said memory card.
5. A memory card according to claim 4 , further comprising a second card removing groove formed on a front surface of said cap in the vicinity of said back face of said memory card.
6. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the planar size of said first flash memory chip is larger than that of said controller chip.
7. A memory card according to claim 1 , further comprising a second flash memory chip,
wherein said second flash memory chip is stacked over said first memory chip.
8. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the length of long sides of said memory card is set to 32 mm, and
wherein the length of short sides of said memory card is set to 24 mm.
9. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of said memory card is set to 1.4 mm.
10. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the size of said cap is the size defined by the multimedia card standard or the SD card standard.
11. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein said external terminals comprise a CLK terminal and two Vss terminals.
12. A memory card according to claim 11 , wherein said external terminals further comprise a DAT terminal and a CMD terminal.
13. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 7.
14. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 9.
15. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 13.
16. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein said external terminals are arranged in two rows.
17. A memory card according to claim 1 , wherein said first flash memory chip, said controller chip, and said substrate are covered with a sealing resin.
18. A memory card according to claim 1 , further comprising terminals for testing a circuit arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.
19. A memory card according to claim 1 , further comprising terminals for adding functions arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.
20. A memory card comprising:
a substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;
external terminals arranged on said rear surface of said substrate;
a first flash memory chip arranged over said front surface of said substrate;
a controller chip for said first flash memory chip arranged over said front surface of said substrate, and electrically connected with said external terminals;
a case body defining dimensions of said memory card and covering said substrate, and
wherein said substrate has a planar area which is equal to or less than one half of a planar area of said case body, and
wherein, in a direction of the long side of said case body, the length of said substrate is smaller than the length of one half of said case body.
21. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the planar size of said first flash memory chip is larger than that of said controller chip.
22. A memory card according to claim 20 , further comprising a second flash memory chip,
wherein said second flash memory chip is stacked over said first memory chip.
23. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the length of long sides of said memory card is set to 32 mm, and
wherein the length of short sides of said memory card is set to 24 mm.
24. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein a thickness of said memory card is set to 1.4 mm.
25. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the size of said case body is the size defined by the multimedia card standard or the SD card standard.
26. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein said external terminals comprise a CLK terminal and two Vss terminals.
27. A memory card according to claim 26 , wherein said external terminals further comprise a DAT terminal and a CMD terminal.
28. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 7.
29. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 9.
30. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 13.
31. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein said external terminals are arranged in two rows.
32. A memory card according to claim 20 , wherein said first flash memory chip, said controller chip, and said substrate are covered with a sealing resin.
33. A memory card according to claim 20 , further comprising terminals for testing a circuit arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.
34. A memory card according to claim 20 , further comprising terminals for adding functions arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.
35. A memory card comprising:
a substrate having a front surface and a rear surface;
external terminals arranged on said rear surface of said substrate;
a first flash memory chip arranged over said front surface of said substrate;
a controller chip for said first flash memory chip arranged over said front surface of said substrate, and electrically connected with said external terminals;
a cap defining dimensions of said memory card, said cap covering said substrate, and
wherein, in a direction of the long side of said cap, the length of said substrate is smaller than the length of one half of said cap.
36. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the planar size of said first flash memory chip is larger than that of said controller chip.
37. A memory card according to claim 35 , further comprising a second flash memory chip,
wherein said second flash memory chip is stacked over said first memory chip.
38. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the length of long sides of said memory card is set to 32 mm, and
wherein the length of short sides of said memory card is set to 24 mm.
39. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein a thickness of said memory card is set to 1.4 mm.
40. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the size of said cap is the size defined by the multimedia card standard or the SD card standard.
41. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein said external terminals comprise a CLK terminal and two Vss terminals.
42. A memory card according to claim 41 , wherein said external terminals further comprise a DAT terminal and a CMD terminal.
43. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 7.
44. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 9.
45. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein the number of said external terminals is 13.
46. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein said external terminals are arranged in two rows.
47. A memory card according to claim 35 , wherein said first flash memory chip, said controller chip, and said substrate are covered with a sealing resin.
48. A memory card according to claim 35 , further comprising terminals for testing a circuit arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.
49. A memory card according to claim 35 , further comprising terminals for adding functions arranged on the rear surface of the substrate.