Registers – Records – Conductive
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-01
2002-10-29
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Records
Conductive
C369S289100, C206S307000, C235S493000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471131
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims benefit of priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Applications No. 2000-57713, filed Mar. 2, 2000 and No. 2001-40099, filed Feb. 16, 2001; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory card such as a smart media and the like, and also to a card socket in which the memory card is set.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, memory cards such as a smart media and the like, in which music information coded in compressed filed are stored, become widespread.
FIGS. 1A and 1B
are diagrams showing a configuration of a conventional memory card. In particularly,
FIG. 1A
is a plan view of the conventional memory card, and
FIG. 1B
is a sectional view thereof.
This conventional memory card
100
comprises a card-type holder
101
made of resin. In the card-type holder
101
, a memory device module
103
comprising a flash memory chip is embedded. A plurality of external electrodes
102
of a plane type in the memory device module
103
are formed on the back side of the card-type holder
101
.
FIG. 2
is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional card socket in which the memory card
100
shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B
is inserted and then set.
This conventional card socket, incorporated in a main device, comprises a socket box
111
having a card insertion section
111
a
with an opening section through which the memory card
100
is inserted. A plurality of spring electrodes
112
electrically connected to the main device are formed at the bottom side of the front stopper section
111
b
in the socket box
111
.
Next, a description will be given of the mechanism of insertion of the memory card to and removal of the memory card from the card socket described above with reference to
FIGS. 3A
to
3
E.
In the insertion of the memory card
100
into the card socket, the user first inserts the memory card
100
into the card insertion section
111
a
(see FIGS.
3
A and
3
B). Then, when the memory card
100
comes into contact with the front stopper section
111
b
in the socket box
111
, the external electrodes
102
of a plane type in the memory card
100
are fastened on the spring electrodes
112
in the card socket side with a strong spring mechanism (see FIG.
3
C).
In the removal of the memory card from the card socket, the user grasps the end of the memory card
100
that is out of the card insertion section
111
a
, and then pulls the memory card
100
in the opposite direction to the insertion direction. The removal of the memory card
100
from the card socket is thereby completed (see FIGS.
3
D and
3
E).
However, in the configuration of both the conventional memory card and the conventional card socket, the spring electrodes
112
in the card socket have a strong force in order to fasten the external electrodes
102
in the memory card
100
to the spring electrodes
112
in the card socket. Thereby, both the electrodes
102
and
112
are strongly fixed to each other. Accordingly, the resistance becomes large during the insertion of the memory card
100
to the card socket and also during the removal of the memory card
100
from the card socket. This introduces the difficulty of the insertion of the memory card
100
to the card socket and of the removal of it from the card socket smoothly.
In particularly, when a main device equipped with the card socket is relatively light in weight, it is necessary for the user to hold the main device with the disengaged hand, and to grasp the memory card
100
with other hand. The user feels very inconvenience in the use of the conventional memory card and the conventional card socket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is, with due consideration to the drawbacks of the conventional technique, to provide a memory card and a card socket capable of easily handling the insertion of the memory card to the card socket and the removal of the memory card from the card socket.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a memory card comprises a card type holder and a memory device module embedded in the card type holder. The card type holder comprises a semiconductor memory device whose external electrodes are exposed on one surface of the memory device module. In this memory card, at least one of a part of the card type holder and the external electrodes are made of a ferromagnetic material.
In addition, in the memory card of the present invention described above, the ferromagnetic material is made up of a permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet is covered with a magnet shield material.
Furthermore, in the memory card of the present invention described above, the ferromagnetic material is made up of a ferromagnetic material of a plate shape adhered on a part of the card type holder.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a memory card comprises a card type holder and a memory device module embedded in the card type holder. The memory device module comprises a semiconductor memory device whose external electrodes are exposed on one surface of the memory device module. In this memory card, at least one of a part of the card type holder and the external electrodes are made of an electromagnet.
In addition, in the memory card of the present invention described above, the electromagnet is covered with a magnet shield material.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a card socket comprises a socket body in which a memory card is set and socket electrodes formed on a bottom surface of the socket body to be electrically contacted to exposed electrodes of the memory card when the memory card is set into the card socket. In this card socket, at least a part of a bottom surface of the socket body and the socket electrodes are made of ferromagnetic material.
Furthermore, in the memory card of the present invention described above, the ferromagnetic material is made of a permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet is covered with a magnet shield material.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a card socket comprises a socket body in which a memory card is set and socket electrodes formed on a bottom surface of the socket body to be electrically contacted to exposed electrodes of the memory card when the memory card is set into the card socket. In this card socket, at least a part of a bottom surface of the socket body and the socket electrodes are made of an electromagnet.
Furthermore, in the card socket of the present invention described above, the electromagnet is covered with a magnet shield material.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a card socket comprises a socket body in which a memory card is set and socket electrodes formed on a bottom surface of the socket body to be electrically contacted to exposed electrodes of the memory card when the memory card is set into the card socket. In this card socket, the memory card is strongly contacted and fixed to the bottom surface of the socket body by a magnetic force.
In addition, in the card socket of the present invention described above, the memory card is one of the memory cards of the present invention, and this memory card is contacted and fixed to the socket body by the magnetic force of both the socket body and the memory card.
The card socket of the present invention described above further comprises a fixed card releasing mechanism for releasing the memory card in a fixed state from the card socket by pushing up the memory card.
The card socket of the present invention described above further comprises a fixed card releasing mechanism for releasing the memory card in a magnetically fixed state from the card socket by inserting a low permeability material.
The card socket of the present invention described above further comprises a fixed card releasing mechanism for releasing the memory card
Ito Shintaro
Okada Teruo
Hess Daniel
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Lee Michael G.
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