Electrical connectors – With indicating or identifying provision – Connection indicating provision
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-30
2001-07-31
Sircus, Brian (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With indicating or identifying provision
Connection indicating provision
C439S630000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267619
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card connector for use in exchanging signals with an inserted card, e.g., an IC card, and more particularly, to a card connector having a detection switch for sensing that a card has been inserted in a card slot.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IC card contains an IC chip having calculation and storage functions. Information processing equipment for processing information by using this IC card as a medium, i.e., a personal computer and a digital camera, is equipped with an IC card connector having a plurality of terminals corresponding to contact patterns formed on the surface of the IC card.
An IC card connector has been known hitherto, in which a connector body is provided with a normally closed detection switch for sensing that an IC card has been inserted in a card slot (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,273).
FIGS. 34
to
37
show the mechanism of the IC card connector.
FIGS. 34 and 35
are partial side and partial plan views, respectively, showing a state before an IC card is inserted in the card slot, and
FIGS. 36 and 37
are partial side and partial plan views, respectively, showing a state in which the IC card is inserted in the card slot.
As shown in these figures, a card slot
102
, in which an IC card
101
(see
FIG. 36
) is inserted, is formed at a predetermined position of a connector body
100
. Below the card slot
102
, a movable terminal
103
and a fixed terminal
104
extending along the inserting direction (X-direction) of the IC card
101
are mounted to constitute a normally closed detection switch.
Before the IC card
101
is inserted in the card slot
102
, the movable terminal
103
is inclined and is in elastic contact with the fixed terminal
104
, and a bent leading end portion
103
a
thereof is placed inside the card slot
102
, as shown in FIG.
34
. Numeral
105
denotes a space portion for allowing pressure deformation of the movable terminal
103
.
When the IC card
101
is inserted in the card slot
102
, as shown in
FIG. 36
, the leading end portion
103
a
of the movable terminal
103
is pressed by the leading end portion of the IC card
101
. The movable terminal
103
is thereby pressed down, and a leading end portion
103
a
of the fixed terminal
104
performs self-cleaning in sliding contact with the upper surface of the movable terminal
103
, while the movable terminal
103
separates from the fixed terminal
104
, so that the insertion of the IC card
101
is electrically detected. Furthermore, the IC card
101
is elastically held by repulsive force produced by pressure deformation of the movable terminal
103
, and is kept in the inserted state. In this state, signal exchange (information processing) is carried out.
When the IC card
101
is drawn out of the card slot
102
after the completion of information processing, the movable terminal
103
returns to the state shown in
FIG. 34
by its repulsive force, and makes contact again with the fixed terminal
104
, whereby the ejection of the IC card
101
is detected.
In this normally closed detection switch, however, since elastic force always acts in the card ejecting direction (the direction of the arrow Y in
FIG. 36
) when the IC card
101
is inserted, the card
101
is liable to come out due to vibrations or the like, and it is difficult to hold it stably. For this reason, there is a problem with operation reliability in information processing.
When elastic force is reduced due to changes in the movable terminal
103
over time, the force for holding the inserted IC card
101
is also reduced, and the card is liable to come out due to even small vibrations.
Furthermore, since the detection switch is placed under the card slot
102
and is directly exposed on the side of the card slot
102
, contaminants, oil, and the like which have entered with the inserted IC card
101
are scraped and collected at the contact portion of the detection switch, which may cause contact failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve such problems of the conventional art, and to provide a card connector having a simple structure and excellent operation reliability in which the loaded state of a card is stable.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card connector including a card detecting means, having a fixed terminal and a movable terminal, for detecting the insertion of a card, e.g., an IC card, by moving the movable terminal in response to the insertion of the card so as to switch a switch between the fixed terminal and the movable terminal, wherein resilient force of the movable terminal produced by the insertion of the card does not act in the ejecting direction of the card.
Since the acting direction of resilient force of the movable terminal differs from the ejecting direction of the card in this way, even when vibration is given while the card is inserted, the loaded state of the card is stabilized, and therefore, operation reliability can be improved.
Preferably, the acting direction of the resilient force of the movable terminal produced by the insertion of the card is orthogonal to the ejecting direction of the card. This further stabilizes the loaded state of the card, and improves operation reliability.
Preferably, the movable terminal has an inclined portion formed of, e.g., an actuator portion, which will be described later, and a part of the card runs onto the inclined portion so that the resilient force of the movable terminal does not act in the ejecting direction of the card. Such a simple structure in which only an inclined portion is formed in the movable terminal can stabilize the loaded state of the card.
Preferably, the movable terminal has an inclined portion, the fixed terminal and the movable terminal are in contact with each other when the card is not inserted, the movable terminal moves in contact with the fixed terminal when a part of the card impinges on the inclined portion, and the movable terminal separates from the fixed terminal when the card is inserted further and the part of the card runs onto the inclined portion. In this case, while the movable terminal moves in contact with the fixed terminal, the effect of cleaning the contact portion therebetween is obtained. In addition, it is possible to simplify the structure, to further stabilize the loaded state of the card, and to improve operation reliability.
A stopper means formed of, e.g., a projection, which will be described later, may be provided to limit the distance over which the movable terminal moves in contact with the fixed terminal. This stopper means allows the moving distance of the movable terminal to be reduced, and therefore, the movement of the movable terminal does not have an adverse effect on switching accuracy.
Preferably, the movable terminal and the inclined portion are formed in one piece. This simplifies the structure, and reduces the costs.
Preferably, a mounting portion for the fixed terminal and the movable terminal is provided adjacent to a card slot, a partition is formed between the mounting portion and the card slot, and the inclined portion of the movable terminal protrudes toward the card slot through a cutout portion formed in the partition. By forming the partition and moving the movable terminal via the inclined portion in this way, it is possible to prevent the detection switch from being contaminated by dust or the like, and to precisely detect the insertion and ejection of a card over a long service life.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4900273 (1990-02-01), Pernet
patent: 5013255 (1991-05-01), Juret et al.
patent: 5964608 (1999-10-01), Lotz
patent: 5997345 (1999-12-01), Inadama
patent: 6004155 (1999-12-01), Wu
patent: 6086426 (1999-12-01), Chang
patent: 6089919 (2000-07-01), Nishioka
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Nguyen Son V.
Sircus Brian
LandOfFree
Card connector having means for detecting insertion of a card does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Card connector having means for detecting insertion of a card, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Card connector having means for detecting insertion of a card will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2567097