Housing device for SIM card

Details Housing device for SIM card Housing device for SIM card

2000-09-01

2001-10-16

Gaffin, Jeffrey (Department: 2841)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...

For electronic systems and devices

C361S829000, C361S730000, C361S727000, C361S816000, C174S034000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304454

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a housing device for an SIM card which allows insertion or detachment of an SIM (subscriber identification module) card without the need to remove a battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13
is a perspective view of a conventional housing device for an SIM card. In the figure, reference numeral
500
denotes a mobile telephone,
512
is an SIM card removal mouth which is disposed in the housing of the mobile telephone
500
and is seen from the outside with the battery
520
removed.
520
is a battery which is removably mounted in the housing of a mobile telephone
500
.
600
is an SIM card which is removably mounted in the housing of the mobile telephone
500
.
The operation of the conventional housing device for an SIM card will be explained below.
An SIM card
600
used in a mobile telephone
500
is inserted/detached as shown in
FIG. 13
by removing the battery
520
from the housing of the mobile telephone
500
to uncover an SIM card removal mouth
512
or contact device and then removing the SIM card
600
therefrom. When in the contact device, the SIM card carries a charge. Therefore if “hotline connection/disconnection” is performed by removing or inserting the SIM card while carrying a charge, there is the danger of damage to the circuit or the SIM card. As a result, the insertion or detaching of an SIM card is performed after disconnecting the battery.
Since the conventional example of an SIM card housing device is constructed as above, it is necessary to perform the operation of removing the battery
520
during insertion/detachment of the SIM card
600
. Thus for example, the problem has arisen that it is necessary perform the difficult operation of holding the battery
520
in one hand and inserting/detaching the SIM card
600
when there is no place in which to place the battery
520
. Furthermore the problem has arisen that design freedom is limited as a result of the fact, that the positioning of the contact device of the SIM card
600
is limited to the periphery of the battery
520
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems and has the object of providing a housing device for an SIM card
600
which allows an increase in design freedom by allowing the insertion and removal of the SIM card
600
by cutting the current when the SIM card
600
is inserted/detached without the need to remove the battery
520
.
A housing device for an SIM card
600
according to the present invention comprises a body formed from an insulating material, and formed with a container for accommodating an SIM card
600
, a detection means which determines whether or not an SIM card
600
is accommodated in a fixed position in the container, a cover provided with an engaging means of an SIM card
600
for the insertion/detachment of the SIM card
600
, and an operational lever. The SIM card
600
is inserted into or detached from the housing by the operation of the operational lever. The supply of current to the SIM card
600
is controlled on the basis of the operational state of the detection means.
In this way, when inserting/detaching the SIM card, it is possible to insert/detach the card safely without removing the battery since the current in the connector is cut by the detection means. Thus it is possible to fix a battery in the housing. This arrangement allows reductions in size and number of components in the device. Furthermore advantages in design and outlay of the device are achieved since the position in which the contact device of the SIM card is housed may be freely determined without reference to the position of the battery.
The housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention is provided with a detecting means for detecting an inserted or detached state of an SIM card in the body, which detecting means is integrally formed with the body.
In this way, occupied space may be reduced and since the device is integrated, detection errors due to the layout are reduced. Furthermore it is possible to reduce the number of components.
The housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention is adapted to make the SIM card detachable by sliding in the direction of insertion/detachment by provision of an operational lever formed on a cover.
Thus the device may be formed in a thin small arrangement which does not occupy a large space.
The housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention is provided with a lever hole formed in the housing for allowing protrusion of the operational lever and a removal mouth for allowing insertion and detachment of the SIM card. The device is adapted to move the operational lever which has protruded from the housing and to insert/detach the SIM card from the removal mouth.
In this way, the opening operation of a cover or the like when inserting/detaching the SIM card in a conventional cover-type device may be avoided. Thus the device of the present invention may be simply operated only by the operation lever.
The housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention is provided with a hook on the cover which removes the SIM card and which is provided with the dual functions of removing and of fixing the SIM card.
Thus it is not necessary to provide a component separately to the cover in order to remove the SIM card. This allows a reduction in the number of components and assembly operations.
In a housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention, the detection means is provided with a first and a second contact formed from a flexible member. One end of the first contact is fixed to power source wiring formed on the base. The other end contacts with one end of the second contact. The other end of the second contact is connected to a contact detection means which detects a state of connection between the first and second contact.
Thus a detection means is comprised by only the provision of two contacts in the body. Since other separate components and a large occupied space are not necessary, the device may be formed in a thin small shape with a reduced number of components.
In the housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention, one end of a second contact and the other end of a first contact mutually contact when an SIM card is not housed. The contacts detection device is adapted to detect that the SIM card is housed, when the connection of the other end of the first contact with one end of the second contact is cut.
Thus it is possible to accurately perform detection of whether the SIM card is housed or not by the direct connection of the contacts being severed by the insertion of an SIM card. Furthermore since the SIM card is often housed during use, placing the contacts in a non-contacting state makes it possible to reduce electricity consumption.
In the housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention, a door is mounted on the SIM card removal mouth of the housing and a door opening detection means is provided which detects an open or closed state of the door when an SIM card is inserted or detached.
Thus it is possible to insert/detach an SIM card without problems since the fact that the door is opened is detected before insertion/detachment. Thus it is possible for the door to prevent the SIM card from detaching and falling out.
In the housing device for an SIM card according to the present invention, the contact of one end of a second contact and another end of a first contact is severed when an SIM card is not housed. When an SIM card is housed, one end of a second contact and another end of a first contact come into contact and thus the insertion of the SIM card is detected by the contact detection means.
Thus when the logic of the detection circuit is in an inverted state, that is to say, in the case where power consumption is lower when the contacts are in connection when the SIM card is housed, it is not necessary to invert the logic state by additional components. Furthermore it is possib

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