Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-03
2001-07-17
Bradley, P. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S326000, C439S629000, C439S633000, C439S680000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261128
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contacting device for a chip card and in particular for a SIM (subscriber identity module) card. Chip cards and/or SIM cards are also known as smart cards.
2. Description of Related Art
Contacting devices for chip cards are known in the art. Such contacting devices are also known as chip card readers or smart card readers, or in particular when used with SIM cards, as SIM card readers. With many slide-in approaches for SIM cards such as cards having the ID-000 format for mobile telephones, the SIM card conventionally is inserted or placed in a kind of loose or separate drawer or cover, and the drawer is slid into a slot opening of the contacting device. With this design the separate drawer may get lost. Further, the drawer and the contacting device must comprise some kind of guide means for guiding the drawer in the contacting device, such guide means requiring additional space with respect to height and width. Moreover, ejecting means are necessary to enable withdrawal or removal of the drawer from the contacting device.
For miniaturization, particularly in the field of mobile telephones, it is an object of the present invention to make a contacting device for a SIM card as small as possible. Of particular importance is a small thickness or height of the contacting device. Preferably, a contacting device should be barely larger than the SIM card itself. Furthermore, loose parts should be avoided such that nothing can get lost. The contacting device should be of simple construction and easy to operate. Misalignment or wrong orientation of the SIM card should be avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing a contacting device for a chip card, and in particular for a SIM card, comprising a stationary base, a slider arranged at the base and being movable with respect to the base, the chip card being slidable between an insert/removal position and a reading position by means of said slider, and means for inhibiting removal of the slider from the contacting device. Preferably, the slider is slidably connected to the base and is in abutting engagement with an abutment in the insert/removal position such that the slider cannot be removed from the contacting device, i.e. the slider cannot be moved beyond the insert/removal position. Thus, the contacting device does not comprise any loose parts that could get lost.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a contacting device comprising a stationary base and a movable slider, wherein the chip card is slidable between an insert/removal position and a reading position, wherein a metal cover is fixedly mounted to the contacting device for providing support for the chip card so as to provide reaction forces taking up contacting forces exerted by contacting elements of the contacting device. Preferably, the contacting device has a plenum or card receiving space for receiving the chip card, and the metal cover spans the card plenum as well as the slider and extends or reaches around the sides of the base. By using a metal cover, a particularly small thickness is possible for the cover. Further, the metal cover is easy to manufacture and to assemble.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the slider is slidably arranged at the side and in longitudinal direction of the contacting device next to the inserted chip card. Since the chip card and the slider are not overlapping as seen in a top plan view, a particularly small thickness or height of the contacting device is possible.
Further, an outer end of the slider, i.e. an end extending outside of the contacting device when said slider is extracted or pulled out from the contacting device, may be flush with the contacting device or its contour in the reading position of the chip card. Thus, mounting of the contacting device is easily possible even at locations where projecting elements must be avoided. For example, the contacting device may be mounted in a mobile telephone at a location which is accessible from the battery bay such that the battery pack may be inserted or put into place with the slider being the retracted position, i.e. with the chip card being in the reading position; the battery pack then covers the contacting device and protects it from access or dirt.
In order to make the contacting device as compact as possible also in the lateral direction, preferably a first side wall of the base is used for lateral guidance of the chip card. The slider may be guided between a second side wall of said base and a rib extending substantially parallel thereto inside the contacting device such that the contacting device requires minimum space. Preferably, the distance between the first side wall and the rib is approximately equal to the width of the chip card.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slider has an oblique polarization surface for engagement with a corresponding oblique polarization surface of the chip card so as to ensure proper alignment or orientation of the chip card.
Generally speaking, the slider comprises means for guiding the chip card in direction of insertion of the chip card as well as transversely thereto. In particular, said means for guiding may comprise abutment surfaces and/or projections on the slider.
For improved guidance of the slider within the contacting device, the base of the contacting device comprises a recess forming a track for the slider. On said track, a projection or pin may be provided which extends into an elongate recess in the slider. The projection or pin may limit movement of the slider in direction of sliding (or extraction/retraction) by coming into abutment with one or the other end of the elongate recess in the slider. Further, the projection and recess provide additional guidance for the slider.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6075706 (2000-06-01), Learmonth et al.
patent: 6101372 (2000-08-01), Kubo
Heim Michael
Laage Andreas
Amphenol-Tuchel Electronics GmbH
Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley LLP
Bradley P.
Nguyen Truc
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