Flash drive shaped to utilize space behind a mobile device

Abstract

A flash drive that can utilize space behind a mobile device is disclosed. In some embodiments, a body of the flash drive has three portions, a front portion, a back portion, and an intermediate portion that runs from the front portion to the back portion. A mobile device connector extends from a first end of the front portion, and a second connector extends from a second end of the back portion. The intermediate portion is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device, the second connector and part of the back portion of the body to be located behind and, in some embodiments, adjacent to the back of the mobile device. This can enable part of the body to fit in a gap that can form between the back of the mobile device and a user's palm when the user holds the mobile device.

1 . A flash drive with a flexible U-shaped intermediate portion that enables the flash drive to utilize a space behind a smart phone when the flash drive is connected to the smart phone, the flash drive comprising:
 a body,
 the body including a linear front portion that extends linearly from a U-shaped intermediate portion of the body in a first direction, the linear front portion having a first end, 
 the body including a linear back portion that extends linearly from the U-shaped intermediate portion of the body in a second direction, the linear back portion having a second end; 
   a mobile device connector extending from the first end of the linear front portion in the first direction, the mobile device connector configured to connect to and communicate with the smart phone;   a full size universal serial bus (USB) connector extending from the second end of the linear back portion in the second direction, the full size USB connector configured to connect to and communicate with a second device,
 wherein the U-shaped intermediate portion is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the smart phone with the mobile device connector in a first orientation, the full size USB connector and a portion of the linear back portion of the body to be located behind, and adjacent to the back of, the smart phone, 
 wherein the U-shaped intermediate portion is flexible, to enable the U-shaped intermediate portion to be bent to change a distance between the linear front portion and the linear back portion, to accommodate a plurality of smart phones of varying thicknesses; 
   a printed circuit board (PCB);   a flash memory integrated circuit (IC); and   a control module that is
 a) coupled to the flash memory IC, the PCB, the mobile device connector, and the full size USB connector, 
 b) configured to enable a first data received via the mobile device connector i) to be written to the flash memory IC, ii) to be read from the flash memory IC and sent to the second device via the full size USB connector, and iii) to be erased from the flash memory IC, and 
 c) configured to enable a second data received via the full size USB connector i) to be written to the flash memory IC, ii) to be read from the flash memory IC and sent to the mobile device via the mobile device connector, and iii) to be erased from the flash memory IC. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flash drive of  claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped intermediate portion is comprised of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         3 . The flash drive of  claim 2 , wherein the TPU has a Shore durometer hardness of between 70 A and 90 A. 
     
     
         4 . The flash drive of  claim 2 , wherein the U-shaped intermediate portion is further comprised of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
     
     
         5 . A flash drive comprising:
 a body,
 the body including a front portion that extends from an intermediate portion of the body in a first direction, the front portion having a first end, 
 the body including a back portion that extends from the intermediate portion of the body in a second direction, the back portion having a second end,
 the back portion extending further from the intermediate portion in the first direction than the front portion extends from the intermediate portion in the first direction; 
 
   a mobile device connector extending from the first end of the front portion in the first direction, the mobile device connector configured to connect to and communicate with a mobile device,
 wherein the intermediate portion of the body is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device with the mobile device connector in a first orientation, a majority of the back portion of the body to be located behind the mobile device; 
   a printed circuit board (PCB);   a flash memory integrated circuit (IC); and   a control module that is
 a) coupled to the flash memory IC, the PCB, and the mobile device connector, and 
 b) configured to enable a first data received via the mobile device connector i) to be written to the flash memory IC, ii) to be read from the flash memory IC and sent to the mobile device via the mobile device connector, and iii) to be erased from the flash memory IC. 
   
     
     
         6 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second connector extending from the second end of the back portion in the second direction, the second connector configured to connect to and communicate with a second device,
 wherein the intermediate portion of the body is further configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device with the mobile device connector in the first orientation, the second connector to be located behind the mobile device, and 
 wherein the control module is further coupled to the second connector. 
   
     
     
         7 . The flash drive of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second control module that is,
 a) coupled to the flash memory IC, the PCB, the mobile device connector, and the second connector, 
 b) configured to enable the first data to be sent to the second device via the second connector, and 
 c) configured to enable a second data received via the second connector i) to be written to the flash memory IC, ii) to be read from the flash memory IC and sent to the second device via the second connector, and iii) to be erased from the flash memory IC. 
   
     
     
         8 . The flash drive of  claim 7 , wherein the control module and the second control module are a same control module. 
     
     
         9 . The flash drive of  claim 6 , wherein the mobile device connector is one of an Apple Lightning connector, an Apple 30-pin connector, an Apple Thunderbolt connector, a mini USB connector, a mini USB A-type connector, a mini USB B-type connector, a micro USB connector, a micro USB A-type connector, a micro USB B-type connector, or a UC-E6 connector, and wherein the second connector is one of a full size USB connector, a standard USB connector, a standard A-type USB connector, a B-type USB connector, a mini USB connector, a mini USB A-type connector, a mini USB B-type connector, a micro USB connector, a micro USB A-type connector, a micro USB B-type connector, or a UC-E6 connector. 
     
     
         10 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate portion is flexible, to enable the intermediate portion to be bent to change a distance between the front portion and the back portion, to accommodate a plurality of mobile devices of varying thicknesses. 
     
     
         11 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate portion is comprised of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). 
     
     
         12 . The flash drive of  claim 11 , wherein the TPU has a Shore durometer hardness of between 70 A and 90 A. 
     
     
         13 . The flash drive of  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate portion is further comprised of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
     
     
         14 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         15 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate portion of the body is configured to cause a surface of the front portion of the body and a surface of the back portion of the body to be separated by between 3.0 millimeters (mm) and 7.0 mm. 
     
     
         16 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the body is comprised of any of TPU, polypropylene, ABS, polycarbonate, aluminum, or silicone. 
     
     
         17 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the intermediate portion is shaped as any of a U-shape, a rectilinear U-shape, a J-shape, or a V-shape. 
     
     
         18 . The flash drive of  claim 5 , wherein the front portion transitions to the intermediate portion at a first transition plane that is substantially perpendicular to a line in the first direction, wherein the back portion transitions to the intermediate portion at a second transition plane that is substantially perpendicular to a line in the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . A flash drive comprising:
 a body,
 the body including a front portion that extends from an intermediate portion of the body in a first direction, the front portion having a first end, 
 the body including a back portion that extends from the intermediate portion of the body in a second direction, the back portion having a second end; 
   a mobile device connector extending from the first end of the front portion in the first direction, the mobile device connector configured to connect to and communicate with a mobile device;   a second connector extending from the second end of the back portion in the second direction, the second connector configured to connect to and communicate with a second device,
 wherein the intermediate portion is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device with the mobile device connector in a first orientation, the second connector and a portion of the body to be located behind the mobile device, 
   a printed circuit board (PCB);   a flash memory integrated circuit (IC);   a control module that is
 a) coupled the flash memory IC, the PCB, the mobile device connector, and the second connector, and 
 b) configured to enable a first data received via the mobile device connector i) to be written to the flash memory IC, ii) to be read from the flash memory IC, and iii) to be erased from the flash memory IC. 
   
     
     
         20 . The flash drive of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a second control module that is
 a) coupled to the flash memory IC, the PCB, the mobile device connector, and the second connector, and 
 b) configured to enable the first data to be sent to the second device via the second connector. 
   
     
     
         21 . The flash drive of  claim 20 , wherein the control module and the second control module are a same control module. 
     
     
         22 . The flash drive of  claim 19 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         23 . The flash drive of  claim 19 , wherein the intermediate portion of the body is configured to cause a surface of the front portion and a surface of the back portion to be separated by between 3.0 mm and 7.0 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The flash drive of  claim 19 , wherein the intermediate portion of the body is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device with the mobile device connector in a second orientation, the second connector and a portion of the body to be located in front of the mobile device.