Single chip USB packages with swivel cover

1. A swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly adapted to be selectively accessed by a data terminal, said USB assembly comprising:

a modular USB core component comprising:

a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) including:

a card body,

a non-volatile memory device mounted on the card body,

a card reader interface circuit mounted on said card body, and

a processing unit mounted on said card body and connected to said non-volatile memory device and said card reader interface circuit,

wherein said card body comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of metal contacts disposed on the first surface, at least one passive component mounted on the second surface,

wherein at least one of the non-volatile memory device, the card reader interface circuit and the processing unit comprises an unpackaged integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the second surface of the PCB handle section, and

wherein a plurality of conductive traces are formed on the PCB such that each conductive trace is electrically connected to at least one of an associated metal contact, the IC die and the passive component; and

a single-piece molded housing formed on the second surface of the PCBA such that said at least one passive component and said at least one IC die are covered by said molded housing, and such that substantially all of the first surface of the PCB is exposed; and

an elongated holder including a flange disposed at a first end thereof, wherein the modular USB core component is fixedly connected to the holder such that the metal contacts are disposed adjacent to a second end thereof;

an external housing including first and second walls defining an elongated gap therebetween,

wherein the flange of the holder is connected to the external housing such that the holder is pivotable between a closed position in which the holder is disposed in the gap between the first and second walls of the external housing, whereby the metal contacts of the modular USB core component are protected by a region of the first wall, and an open position in which the holder is disposed outside of the external housing such that metal contacts of the modular USB core component are accessible by the data terminal.

2. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly according to claim 1 ,

wherein said holder includes peripheral walls surrounding a trough, the peripheral walls including a front wall disposed adjacent the second end, and

wherein the modular USB core component is fixedly received in the trough of the holder such that the metal contacts are disposed adjacent to the front wall.

3. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 2 ,

wherein the external housing further comprises an end wall connected to first ends of the first and second walls such that the first wall is held generally parallel to the second wall with the gap defined therebetween,

wherein at least one of the first and second walls defines a pivot opening located adjacent to a second end of said first and second walls, and

wherein holder is pivotably connected to the external housing by a pivot pin rotatably received in the pivot opening.

4. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first and second walls of the external housing comprise metal plated with chromium.

5. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 3 , wherein the external housing comprises a pre-molded plastic structure.

6. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a circular key chain structure integrally formed on the end wall.

7. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 3 , wherein the holder further comprises side portions respectively extending outside of the gap when the holder is in either of the opened position and the closed position, wherein each of the side portions includes a plurality of fine ribs.

8. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin comprises a pre-molded plastic structure that is fixedly connected to the holder and rotatably engaged in the pivot opening.

9. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 7 , wherein the pivot pin includes curved arms having at least one bump protruding therefrom, and wherein the curved arms bias said bump to engage one or more corresponding notches defined in a peripheral edge of the pivot opening when the holder is in either of the opened position and the closed position.

10. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 3 , wherein the pivot pin is integrally connected to and extends from the flange of the holder into the pivot opening defined in the first wall of the external housing.

11. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 10 , wherein the pivot pin extends from a platform that is connected to the flange by bridge structures such that the pivot pin is movable relative to the flange, and engagement structures disposed adjacent to the pivot pin operably engage corresponding notches defined in the first wall of the external housing when the holder is in either of the opened position and the closed position.

12. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 11 ,

wherein the external housing further comprises a metal structure and said end wall comprises a portion of said metal structure that is bent 180°, and

wherein the first and second walls are separated by a first height adjacent to the end wall and by a second height adjacent to the flange of the holder, where the first height is greater than the second height.

13. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit (IC) die is electrically connected to the conductive traces by a plurality of wire bonds extending between said at least one IC die and corresponding contact pads disposed on the second surface of the PCB.

14. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one passive component includes a lead that is soldered to a corresponding contact pad disposed on the second surface of the PCB.

15. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 14 , wherein the at least one passive component comprises at least one of a resistor, a capacitor, an oscillator, and a light emitting diode.

16. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit (IC) die includes a first IC die comprising an USB controller circuit, and a second IC die comprising a flash memory circuit.

17. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 16 , wherein the at least one IC die comprises a plurality of flash memory dies disposed in a stacked arrangement such that a first flash memory die is mounted on the second surface of the PCB, and a second flash memory die is mounted on a surface of the first flash memory die.

18. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first flash memory die is connected to said PCB by a first plurality of said wire bonds, and the second flash memory die is connected to one of the first flash memory die and said PCB by a second plurality of wire bonds.

19. The swivel-type, low-profile USB assembly of claim 13 , wherein the at least one integrated circuit (IC) die includes a single-chip controller/flash die comprising controller circuit and one or more flash block mass storage circuits that are interconnected by a bus.

20. A method for producing an USB assembly comprising:

producing a modular USB core component including:

a PCBA including:

a card body,

a non-volatile memory device mounted on the card body,

a card reader interface circuit mounted on said card body, and

a processing unit mounted on said card body and connected to said non-volatile memory device and said card reader interface circuit,

wherein said card body comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of metal contacts disposed on the first surface, at least one passive component mounted on the second surface,

wherein at least one of the non-volatile memory device, the card reader interface circuit and the processing unit comprises an unpackaged integrated circuit (IC) die mounted on the second surface of the PCB handle section, and

wherein a plurality of conductive traces are formed on the PCB such that each conductive trace is electrically connected to at least one of an associated metal contact, the IC die and the passive component; and

a single-piece molded housing formed on the second surface of the PCBA such that said at least one passive component and said at least one IC die are covered by said molded housing, and such that substantially all of the first surface of the PCB is exposed; and; and

mounting said modular USB core component into a holder having a flange; and

attaching the holder to an external housing including first and second walls defining an elongated gap therebetween such that the holder is pivotable between a closed position in which the holder is disposed in the gap between the first and second walls of the external housing, whereby the metal contacts of the modular USB core component are protected by a region of the first wall, and an open position in which the holder is disposed outside of the external housing such that metal contacts of the modular USB core component are accessible by the data terminal.