Registers – Coded record sensors – Feed mechanisms
Utility Patent
1998-06-29
2001-01-02
Hajec, Donald (Department: 2876)
Registers
Coded record sensors
Feed mechanisms
C439S630000
Utility Patent
active
06168082
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to card reader assemblies having terminals therein for electrically engaging contact pads on the surface of a card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Card reader assemblies for smart cards, SIM cards or the like typically include a housing having a base and a cover and a plurality of terminals disposed in the base for reading contact pads on a card. In these arrangements the cards typically are inserted with the contact pads directed toward the circuit board to which the reader is attached. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,520,551 and 5,667,397 disclose card reader assemblies of this type.
In some instances, however, it is desirable to have a card reader assembly in which the card can be inserted into the card-receiving cavity with the contact pads directed away from the circuit board. It is desirable, therefore, to have the terminals in the connector assembly mounted such that they extend proximate the cover of the assembly rather than through the base, such that the card can be inserted between the terminals and the circuit board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a card reader having a base, a cover securable to the base to define a card-receiving cavity, and a plurality of terminals disposed therein and therebetween and secured by cooperating surfaces between the base and the cover. Upon assembling the base and cover together, the terminals are secured in position with terminal contact surfaces extending into said cavity to be engaged by contact pads of a card inserted into said cavity.
In one embodiment the base and the cover further define a terminal housing in which a plurality of right angle terminals are disposed, each terminal having a body, a card engaging section at an end of a horizontal body section extending into the cavity, and a board mounting section at an end of a vertical body section extending outwardly of the card reader. The base defines a terminal-receiving section of the terminal housing and the cover defines a terminal-securing section of the terminal housing, the two sections together defining terminal-receiving passageways within which the bodies of the terminals extend. The terminal-receiving section of the base includes first and second portions, the first portion extending upwardly above a bottom surface of, and at an inner end of, the card-receiving cavity and the second portion extending outwardly from the base at a right angle to the first portion. The vertical body portion of the terminals are disposed along grooves of the second portion of the terminal-receiving section of the base and the horizontal body sections extend along a top surface of the first portion with elongate end portions of the horizontal body sections extending forwardly from the top surface to the card engaging sections. The terminal-securing section of the cover includes a downwardly directed portion that cooperates with the second portion of the terminal-receiving section, with an inner surface of the cover being opposed from the first portion of the terminal-receiving section adjacent the terminals. Upon assembling the base and cover together, the terminals are secured in position in the terminal-receiving passageways and the terminal contact surfaces extend into the cavity proximate the cover. A card, therefore, can be inserted into the cavity with the contact pads facing the cover.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a board mountable card reader that allows cards having contact pads on the surface thereof to be inserted into the card reader with the contact pads directed away from the circuit board to which the reader is attached.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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Benjamin Karen Elizabeth
Kemmick Dennis Leroy
Aronoff Michael
Hajec Donald
Lee Diane I.
The Whitaker Corporation
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