Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With guide for directing panel circuit movement
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-05
2001-05-01
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With guide for directing panel circuit movement
C439S945000, C361S737000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224391
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory card for use in a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as “PC”) or a personal digital assistant (hereinafter referred to as “PDA”). Particularly, the invention relates to a memory card adaptor card which allows for installation of a smaller size memory card into a memory card slot of a PC for electrical connection therebetween.
2. Description of Related Art
PC cards conventionally available for PCs and PDAs are standardized by PCMCIA/JEIDA, which specifies the outer dimensions thereof as being 85.6 mm×54.0 mm×5.0 mm (length×width×thickness).
With the size reduction of information devices including PCs and PDAs, smaller size memory cards have been proposed. For example, such a smaller size memory card has a length of 45.0 mm, a width of 42.8 mm and a thickness of 3.3 mm. Attempts have been made to use such new smaller size memory cards in conventional PC card slots which are dominant in the market.
In this connection, memory card adaptor cards have been put to practical application, which allows for installation of a smaller memory card in a memory card slot compliant with a different standard for connection therebetween.
Memory cards often hold significant electrostatic charges before installation thereof into memory card slots. Therefore, it is useful to provide a grounding circuit for dissipating the electrostatic charges prior to connection of signal contacts of the memory card. A grounding device for a PC card is proposed, for example, in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.8-31123 (1996).
However, an effective grounding mechanism applicable to a memory card adaptor card of a type as proposed by the present invention has not been developed yet. Therefore, a memory card adaptor card having a simple and reliable grounding device has long been desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a memory card adaptor card which ensures reliable grounding with a simplified construction.
The memory card adaptor card according to the present invention includes a grounding connection mechanism for electrically connecting a grounding contact of a memory card to a grounding circuit of a memory card slot.
Therefore, the memory card can discharge an electrostatic charge accumulated therein, whenever the memory card adaptor card of the present invention is installed in the memory card slot after the memory card is installed in the memory card adaptor card. The electrostatic charge escapes through a grounding route extending from the grounding contact of the memory card to the grounding connection mechanism of the memory card adaptor card and to the grounding circuit of the memory card slot.
The memory card adaptor card preferably further includes a first connector which allows a memory card compliant with a first standard to be installed in and electrically connected to the memory card adaptor card, and a second connector which ado allows the memory card adaptor card to be installed in and electrically connected to a memory card slot compliant with a second standard.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the memory card adaptor card may further include a circuit board, a frame fitted with the circuit board and a cover of a conductive plate which covers the circuit board. In this case, the grounding connection mechanism may include a contact spring piece having first and second bent portions integrally formed, the first bent portion being fixed to the frame in resilient contact with the cover, the second bent portion being adapted to be brought into resilient contact with the grounding contact of the memory card.
With this arrangement, the cover of the conductive plate also serves as a grounding route for the memory card adaptor card, so that electrical connection between the aforesaid grounding route and the grounding contact of the memory card can be established merely by the provision of the contact spring piece.
In this case, the grounding connection mechanism preferably includes a grounding conductor provided on the circuit board and a connector member (short-circuiting metal component
44
) for electrically connecting the grounding conductor to the cover.
The memory card adaptor card preferably further includes an abutment member which is to abut against a forward side of the memory card in a process of connecting the memory card to the first connector before complete establishment of electrical connection between the memory card and the first connector. The abutment member may be a projection formed on the cover which covers the circuit board.
The grounding connection mechanism preferably has a contact member which is to be electrically connected to the grounding contact of the memory card in the process of connecting the memory card to the connector before the complete establishment of the electrical connection between the memory card and the connector. The contact member is preferably fixed to the frame of the memory card adaptor card and electrically connected to the conductive cover.
With this arrangement, the memory card can be grounded for discharge of the electrostatic charge before the memory card is electrically connected to the memory card adaptor card.
The grounding connection mechanism preferably has a contact member which is to be electrically connected to the grounding circuit of the memory card slot in a process of installing the memory card adaptor card in the memory card slot before complete establishment of electrical connection between the connector and the memory card slot. In this case, the cover of the conductive plate which covers the circuit board of the memory adaptor card may serve as the contact member.
With this arrangement, the memory card adaptor card can be grounded for discharge of the electrostatic charge before the memory card adaptor card is electrically connected to the slot.
The foregoing and other objects, features and effects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4905124 (1990-02-01), Banjo et al.
patent: 5031076 (1991-07-01), Kiku
patent: 5038250 (1991-08-01), Uenaka et al.
patent: 5155663 (1992-10-01), Harase
patent: 5398154 (1995-03-01), Perkins et al.
patent: 5457601 (1995-10-01), Georgopulos et al.
patent: 5490043 (1996-02-01), Tan et al.
patent: 5537294 (1996-07-01), Siwinski
patent: 5653596 (1997-08-01), Banakis et al.
patent: 5833473 (1998-11-01), Betker et al.
patent: 8-31123 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 8-33123 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 8-88059 (1996-04-01), None
patent: 8-235336 (1996-09-01), None
patent: 8-339427 (1996-12-01), None
patent: 9-120439 (1997-05-01), None
Horie Naoya
Sakurai Hiroshi
Shobara Yoshitaka
Washino Kiyoshi
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Patel T. C.
Patel Tulsidas
Smith , Gambrell & Russell, LLP
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