Registers – Coded record sensors – Feed mechanisms
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-27
2001-02-06
Le, Thien M. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Feed mechanisms
C235S476000, C235S483000, C360S099060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182899
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a loading mechanism for loading and/or unloading at least one memory card into/from an electronic apparatus, comprising a first transport mechanism for the transport of the memory card between an eject position and an intermediate position, a second transport mechanism for the transport of the memory card between the intermediate position and a play position, and a drive unit for driving the two transport mechanisms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a loading mechanism is known from Japanese Patent Application JP 05046816. This known loading mechanism comprises two rollers as the first transport mechanism, these rollers being mounted on a drive shaft and conveying the memory card non-positively from the eject position into the intermediate position by exerting pressure on the surface of said card. The eject position is defined as the position in which the memory card can be removed by hand from the electronic apparatus by a user. The intermediate position is situated a short distance in front of before a connector element of the electronic apparatus, this connector element being adapted to contact a connector element of the memory card. The position in which the connector element of the memory card is in contact with the connector element of the electronic apparatus and in which, as a result of this, information stored on the memory card can be read out by the electronic apparatus or information can be written into the memory card by the electronic apparatus, is referred to as the play position.
In this known construction, the drive unit is an electric motor, which drives the drive shaft via a first transmission. The first transport mechanism conveys the memory card with a comparatively high speed and a comparatively small traction force. The second transport mechanism is a pivotal lever having teeth which can mesh with a reduction gear. The reduction gear is constructed as a toothed-wheel transmission. By means of two guide pins, the pivotal lever urges the connector element of the memory card into the connector element of the electronic apparatus with a substantial force. The guide pins are actuated by means of a solenoid.
Such a construction requires a substantial mounting space and large number of parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a loading mechanism which can be realized with a smaller number a smaller mounting volume.
For the transport of the memory card between the intermediate position and the play position, the second transport mechanism can be coupled to the drive unit by means of a lead screw transmission.
A lead screw transmission is to be understood to mean a transmission comprising a combination of a lead screw and a lead screw nut which engages with the screwthread of the lead screw. Thus, a lead screw transmission converts a rotary movement into a translatory movement or, conversely, a translatory movement into a rotary movement. Such a lead screw transmission enables a substantial reduction to be achieved within a small mounting volume.
For the transport of the memory card between the eject position and the intermediate position, the drive unit drives the first transport mechanism directly or via a transmission. Preferably, this is effected with a comparatively high speed and a comparatively small traction force. However, starting from the intermediate position, a large traction force is needed to urge the memory card into the connector element of the electronic apparatus, and to ensure a satisfactory contact. For this purpose, the second transport mechanism has been provided, which is driven by the drive unit via the lead screw transmission. The lead screw transmission provides the reduction necessary to urge the memory card with a large force into the connector element of the electronic apparatus.
Such a construction enables bulky toothed-wheel transmissions to be dispensed with, which reduces the mounting volume of the loading mechanism.
The drive shaft preferably extends above or underneath the loading plane of the memory card. The drive shaft carries one or more drive rollers, which are preferably made of rubber. During the transport of the memory card between the eject position and the intermediate position, the drive rollers are coupled, for example, non-positively or positively to the drive shaft, as a result of which, they rotate with the drive shaft. The drive rollers then preferably exert pressure on the upper or lower surface of the memory card and the memory card is moved from the eject position into the intermediate position by means of the drive rollers as a result of the friction.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the lead screw transmission is arranged on the drive shaft. As a result of this, the drive shaft, which is present anyway, is utilized for the lead screw transmission, so that additional mounting space and parts are saved. Preferably, the relevant transport mechanism is driven by means of the coupling mechanism, which can be constructed, for example, as a coupling lever. In the area of the intermediate position, the coupling mechanism disengages the drive rollers during loading of the memory card, i.e., the rollers are no longer non-positively or positively coupled to the drive shaft and, as a result, no force is transmitted from the drive shaft to the drive roller. At the same time, the coupling nut, which is mounted so as to be axially movable on the drive shaft, engages with the screwthread, as a result of which the lead screw transmission is formed and the driving force is transmitted from the drive unit to the second transport mechanism via this lead screw transmission. Likewise, when the memory card is unloaded, the coupling nut is disengaged from the screwthread in the area of the intermediate position and, at the same time, the drive rollers are non-positively or positively coupled to the eject position drive shaft, as a result of which, the first transport mechanism, starting from the intermediate position, takes over the transport function from the second transport mechanism during unloading of the memory card.
Since the drive rollers and the screwthread are arranged adjacent one another on the same drive shaft, the coupling mechanism can be realized in a simple and compact manner, and the coupling mechanism can be utilized for driving both the first and the second transport mechanism.
In an advantageous embodiment the transport slide is positively coupled to the memory card during the transport of the memory card from the intermediate position into the play position. Such a positive coupling also enables substantial forces to be transmitted without the occurrence of slippage between the transport slide and the memory card. In this embodiment, the linear movement of the coupling nut of the lead screw transmission is converted into a linear movement of the transport slide by means of the coupling lever.
Preferably, the transport slide has a rear stop edge and a front stop edge. During the transport of the memory card from the intermediate position into the play position, the rear stop edge acts upon the rear edge of the memory card and urges the memory card into the connector element of the electronic apparatus. During unloading of the memory card, the front stop edge acts upon the front edge of the memory card and urges the memory card out of the connector element of the electronic apparatus. This ensures that both during loading and unloading, a positive coupling between the memory card and the transport slide is obtained, as a result of which, a slip-free transport of the memory card between the play position and the intermediate position is guaranteed both during loading and unloading.
In comparison with a one-part construction of the transport slide, two-part construction of the transport slide has the advantage that less mounting volume and, particularly, less mounting height is needed because only a part of the transport slide, instead of the whole transport slide, is to be pivot
Muller Stefan
Rumpf Horst
Goodman Edward W.
Le Thien M.
Lee Diane I.
U.S. Philips Corporation
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