Self-Flipping Pen Drive

by ShakeTheFuture in Circuits > USB

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Self-Flipping Pen Drive

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Plug In This Pen Drive Correctly Every Time
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This famous "meme" is funny cos it's true.

I am sure we all have experienced this problem.

Trying to plug In a USB cable or a pen drive

It does not fit, so you flip it around
Still does not fit, you flip it again

Now it magically fits

Yes, I know. It's not hard to memorize which way the pen drive should be plugged in. You can also see it by looking at the plug, but somehow we still manage to play the flipping game.

In this Instructable I created a self-flipping pen drive.

As long as the USB port is vertical, you pen drive will flip correctly every single time.

What will you need:

  • A pen drive, that is the same size as the USB plug
  • Nylon bearing

ID: 15mm

OD: 24mm

W: 5mm

  • Fishing sinker/weight
  • Glue

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Find a pen drive that's the same size as the USB plug.

You can go with a bigger pen drive, but then you might need to get a bigger bearing.

Get a nylon bearing and a fishing sinker.

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Cut/shave your sinker, so you can fit it (together with the pen drive) inside of the bearing.

Push the sinker and the flash drive inside of the bearing

Warning!

After some people suggestions, it's better to use different material weight.
Lead weight can be poisonous if you eat it or breath IN lead dust.. Even though it does not get in contact with food and we don't create any dust, it's better to use a different material weight

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Glue it all together.

Next time you try to plug in the pen drive in the dark, hold it by the bearing.

It will flip the correct way.