IP Library Granted Patent US 12,581,602
Granted Patent B2
US 12,581,602 · App. 18/516,012 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Enhanced prying structure for an electronic device

Inventor: MyungJin Kim (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
H05K5/0052H05K5/006H05K9/0037G11B33/022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,581,602
App. No.
18/516,012
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In the context of an electronic device such as a solid-state drive, implementation of a prying opening in a sidewall of an enclosure base, and positioned adjacent to a corresponding stepped structure along a sidewall of an enclosure cover, enables an effective prying mechanism enabling the disassembling of the electronic device. A stepped structure surface extending beyond the prying opening of the base forms a narrow pathway with the sidewall of the base, thus providing a structural mechanism to inhibit the transfer of ESD to the sensitive components of the device.

Claims (39)

1 . An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure base comprising an enclosure base sidewall and a prying opening in the enclosure base sidewall;

a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled with the enclosure base; and

an enclosure cover coupled with the enclosure base and covering the PCB, the enclosure cover comprising a stepped structure having a first step and a second step extending from the first step, the stepped structure extending along an enclosure cover sidewall disposed within the base and adjacent to the prying opening of the enclosure base.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first step of the stepped structure extends a first distance from the enclosure cover sidewall and the second step of the stepped structure extends a second distance from the enclosure cover sidewall.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the enclosure cover further comprises a surface extending beyond the prying opening of the enclosure base in a direction into the enclosure base, the surface forming a pathway with the enclosure base sidewall.

4 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure cover further comprises a surface extending beyond the prying opening of the enclosure base, the surface forming a pathway with the enclosure base sidewall and toward the PCB.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the surface extends beyond a bottom surface of the enclosure cover.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the enclosure base comprises a plurality of prying openings in the enclosure base sidewall; and

the enclosure cover comprises a plurality of stepped structures, each extending along the enclosure cover sidewall and positioned adjacent to a corresponding prying opening of the plurality of prying openings of the enclosure base.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:

the enclosure base comprises a prying opening in a plurality of enclosure base sidewalls; and

the enclosure cover comprises a plurality of stepped structures, each extending along a corresponding enclosure cover sidewall of a plurality of enclosure cover sidewalls and positioned adjacent to the prying opening of a corresponding enclosure base sidewall of the plurality of enclosure base sidewalls.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first step includes a first vertical surface and a first horizonal surface extending from the first vertical surface and the second step includes a second vertical surface extending from the first horizontal surface and a second horizontal surface extending from the second vertical surface.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the enclosure base sidewall that is proximate to the prying opening has a stairstep configuration.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a top surface of the enclosure cover is positioned below at least a portion of the stepped structure.

11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of a top surface of the enclosure cover is flush with a top surface of the enclosure base sidewall.

12 . An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

a bottom part comprising a prying opening a sidewall of the bottom part; and

a top part coupled with the bottom part and comprising:

a stepped structure extending along a top part sidewall disposed within the bottom part, at least a portion of the stepped structure positioned adjacent to the prying opening of the bottom part; and

a surface extending beyond the prying opening of the bottom part and forming a pathway with the sidewall of the bottom part.

13 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the stepped structure of the top part comprises a plurality of steps configured to engage a prying tool.

14 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the stepped structure of the top part comprises a plurality of steps, each step of the plurality of steps extending progressively farther from the sidewall of the top part.

15 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein:

the bottom part comprises a plurality of prying openings in the sidewall of the bottom part; and

the top part comprises a plurality of stepped structures, each extending along the top part sidewall disposed within the bottom part and positioned adjacent to a corresponding prying opening of the plurality of prying openings.

16 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein:

the bottom part comprises a prying opening in a plurality of sidewalls of the bottom part; and

the top part comprises a plurality of stepped structures, each extending along a corresponding top part sidewall of a plurality of top part sidewalls disposed within the bottom part and positioned adjacent to the prying opening of a corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

17 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of a top surface of the top part is positioned below at least the portion of the stepped structure.

18 . The electronic device enclosure of claim 12 , wherein the surface extends from a bottom step of the stepped structure.

19 . A method of assembling an enclosure for a data storage device, comprising:

coupling a first portion of an enclosure means to a second portion of the enclosure means, the first portion of the enclosure means including:

an aperture in a sidewall of the first portion; and the second portion of the enclosure means including:

a stepped structure extending along a sidewall of the second portion and disposed within the first portion, at least a portion of the stepped structure positioned adjacent to the aperture in the sidewall of the first portion; and

a surface extending past the aperture in the sidewall of the first portion and forming a pathway with the sidewall of the first portion.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the stepped structure comprises a first step and a second step and wherein a top surface of the first step is farther away from the sidewall of the first portion when compared to a top surface of the second step.

Assignments (8)
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTERESTS Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 071382/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2025
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071050/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068762/0494 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 27, 2024
From: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067982/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 067567/0682 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (AR) Recorded Feb 22, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066648/0284 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (DDTL) Recorded Feb 22, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066648/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: KIM, MYUNGJIN
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC
Reel/Frame 065635/0623 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250168993A1 · May 22, 2025
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