Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-21
2001-01-30
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S753000, C361S799000, C361S801000, C361S800000, C439S946000, C235S492000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181564
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card for use, for example, in communication through a LAN and a modem.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional IC card will now be described with reference to
FIGS. 10
to
12
. A rectangular lower cover
21
formed of a metallic plate has a base portion
21
a
which is in the shape of a flat plate, side walls
21
b
formed on both sides of the base portion
21
a
by bending, and a rear wall
21
c
formed at the rear of the base portion
21
a
by bending.
A rectangular upper cover
22
formed of a metallic plate has a base portion
22
a
which is in the shape of a flat plate, side walls
22
b
formed on both sides of the base portion
22
a
by bending, a rear wall
22
c
formed at the rear of the base portion
22
a
by bending, and an arm portion
22
d
extending inwards from a side wall
22
b.
A rectangular frame
23
formed by molding with use of a synthetic resin has frame portions
23
a
disposed throughout the whole periphery of the rectangular shape, a rectangular receptacle portion
23
b
formed as a concave portion inside the frame portions
23
a,
and stepped portions
23
c
formed in the receptacle portion
23
b.
The frame
23
has a size which is almost the same as the external form of the base portion
21
a
of the lower cover
21
, and it is placed on the base portion
21
a
while being received within the lower cover
21
. The frame
23
is secured to the lower cover
21
, for example, by bending the side walls
21
b.
A substrate member
25
having a conductive pattern (not shown) and various electric components
24
attached thereto is placed on the stepped portions
23
c
of the frame
23
and in this state it is received in the receptacle portion
23
b
of the frame. The whole periphery of the substrate member
25
is established its position by the receptacle portion
23
b.
The socket
26
is constituted by a female type socket forming part of a connector and it has a terminal (not shown) to be connected to a terminal (not shown) of a male connector. The socket
26
is positioned at the front portion of the frame
23
and in this state the terminal thereof is connected to the conductive pattern on the substrate member
25
.
The lower cover
21
and the upper cover
22
, with the substrate member
25
and the socket
26
mounted thereto, are combined together to form a case
27
having an accommodating portion
27
a.
When the case
27
is formed, the frame
23
, substrate member
25
and socket
26
are accommodated within the accommodating portion
27
a
and the arm portion
22
d
of the upper cover
22
comes into contact with an earth pattern of the conductive pattern.
The IC card constructed as above is inserted into and ejected from an IC card connector.
There are several types of such IC cards respectively having substrate members
25
with different electric components
24
mounted thereon. The electric components
24
are different in height, thus giving rise to the necessity that the supporting position be changed for each substrate member
25
in the vertical direction of the case
27
.
According to the prior art, several types of frames
23
different in the height of stepped portions
23
c
are provided, whereby substrate members
25
having electric components
24
of different heights can each be accommodated in the case
23
.
In the conventional IC card, since the frame
23
for supporting the substrate member
25
has a size equal to that of the base portion
21
a
of the lower cover
21
, the frame
23
is large in size and therefore the material cost and the manufacturing cost become high. Moreover, different frames
23
are required depending on the type of IC card used, thus giving rise to the problem that the cost of IC card becomes extremely high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the first arrangement adopted by the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems there is provided an IC card comprising an upper cover formed of a metallic plate, a lower cover formed of a metallic plate, a substrate member having a conductive pattern and various electric components, and a socket connected to the conductive pattern, wherein the upper cover and the lower cover are combined together to form a case having an accommodating portion, the socket is attached to a front side of the case, and the substrate member is received in the accommodating portion and is held grippingly between the upper cover and the lower cover.
According to the second arrangement adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above first arrangement, an IC card wherein one of the upper and lower covers is provided with a plurality of receiving portions, while the other cover is provided with a plurality of presser arm portions, and side portions of the substrate member are held grippingly between the receiving portions and the presser arm portions.
According to the third arrangement adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above second arrangement, an IC card wherein the receiving portions each have a plurality of stepped portions in the vertical direction of the case so that various substrate members as mentioned above can be supported on the stepped portions respectively.
According to the fourth arrangement adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above second means, an IC card wherein support members formed of a synthetic resin are attached to the front side of the case to support the side portions of the substrate member at front positions thereof, and the side portions of the substrate member are supported at rear positions thereof by both the receiving portions and the presser arm portions.
According to the fifth arrangement adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above second arrangement, an IC card wherein the rear portion of the upper cover or the lower cover is provided with a support portion for supporting the rear portion of the substrate member.
According to the sixth arrangement adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above second arrangement, an IC card wherein the receiving portions and/or the presser arm portions are brought into contact with an earth pattern of the conductive pattern.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5111362 (1992-05-01), Flamm et al.
patent: 5339222 (1994-08-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 5477421 (1995-12-01), Bethurum
patent: 5502620 (1996-03-01), Funck et al.
patent: 5563450 (1996-10-01), Bader et al.
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
LandOfFree
IC 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 IC card, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and IC card will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2513382