Background of the Invention

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a card system and, for example, to a card system comprising a header device for a computer and its peripheral unit and a card-type data processing medium, such as a memory card, insertable and withdrawable into and out of the header device. The card-type data processing medium and header device as set out above belong to the art of the present invention.

2. Description of the Related Art

A card system has been employed for a computer system, such as a personal computer, a laptop computer and a notebook PC, and its peripheral units so as to achieve an application expansion. The card system comprises a header device to be mounted on the computer system and its peripheral unit and a card-type data processing unit insertable and withdrawable into and out of the header device.

The card type data processing medium is typically comprised of a memory card. This card is comprised of a card-type package incorporating a module therein which contains a ROM and RAM. The number of pins of an ordinary memory card is, for example, 2 x 30, 2 x 34, etc., for signal transmission. Since the pin-to-connector connection holding power of the ordinary memory card is relatively weak, the memory card is slipped out of the header upon receipt of a direct shock in a moving direction of the memory card. This is obviously

undesirable unless the memory card can directly be reloaded by the end user into the header.

On the other hand, a new form of design has recently been demanded for memory cards so as to more properly and more rapidly enhance the processing power of the computer system and its peripheral units. This object can be realized by achieving a higher built-in module integration density in a memory card while increasing the number of pins involved for the memory card. It is necessary that the memory card with a larger number of pins arranged in a high density be more positively connected to the header device.

Summary of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a card system for positively connecting a card-type data processing medium to a header device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a card-type data processing medium and header device for structuring a card system as set out above.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a card system is provided which includes a card-type data processing medium including a card-like package having first and second end sections in a direction to in which the data processing medium is transferred and holding electronic component parts for data processing and a connector mounted at the first end section of the package and a header device including a housing having first and second ends in the transferring of direction the data processing medium and having an insertion inlet on the second end to receive the data processing medium and a header mechanically and electrically connected to the connector of the data processing medium, in which latch holes are provided, near the second end of the housing of the header device, along a direction transverse to the transferring direction of the data processing medium and latch members are provided near the second end section of the package of the data processing medium and releasably latched to the associated latch holes in the housing of the header device

when the connector of the data processing medium is connected to the header of the header device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a card-type data processing medium is provided which is adapted to be releasably latched to a header device, the header device including a housing having first and second ends in a direction in which the data processing medium is transferred and having an insertion inlet on the second end to receive the data processing medium and latch holes provided, near the second end of the housing of the header device, along a direction transverse to the transferring direction of the data processing medium, and a header mounted on the first end of the housing, in which the data processing medium comprises a card-like package having first and second end sections in the transferring direction of the data processing medium, holding electronic component parts for data processing and adapted to be received into the corresponding insertion inlet, a connector mounted on the first end section of the package, and latch members provided near the second end section of the package and releasably latched to latch holes in the housing of the header device when the connector of the data processing medium is connected to the header of the header device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a header device is provided which is associated with a card-type data processing medium to releasably connect the data processing medium to the header device, the card type data processing medium including a card-like package having first and second end sections in a direction in which the data processing medium is transferred and holding electronic component parts for data processing, a connector mounted on the first end section of the package and latch members provided near the second end section of the package, in which the header device includes a housing having first and second ends and having an insertion inlet on the second end to receive the data processing medium, latch holes provided, near the second end, along a direction transverse to the transferring direction of the data processing medium and a header mounted on the first

end of the housing, the latch holes being associated with the latch members of the data processing medium so that the latch members are releasably latched to the latch holes when the connector of the data processing medium is connected to the header of the header device.

In the structure as set out above, when the card-type data processing medium is received into the housing of the header device, the latch members of the card-type data processing medium are latched to the latch holes in the housing of the header device, thus maintaining the connector of the data processing medium and header of the header device in a connected stage.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a card system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view showing a header device in the card system shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the header device in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 1, showing the header device of the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view showing a latching mechanism in the system of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a memory card and associated hand tool in another embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view, partly taken away, for explaining how to use the hand tool of Fig. 6.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 shows a card system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The card system 12 of the present invention is equipped with a header device 14 and a memory card 16 insertable and withdrawable into and out of the header 14. The header device 14 is fitted in a casing (not shown) of a computer system, not shown.

The header device 14 includes a substantially u-shaped housing 18 and a header 20 mounted at a closed end 18a of the housing 18. An opening is provided at the opposite end 18b of the housing 18 to receive the memory card 16. Slots 24 are provided in the inner surface portions of both opposed walls 22 of the housing 18 to allow the memory card 16 to be inserted and withdrawn into and out of the side walls 22 of the housing 18 along a direction (Y-axis) of movement of the memory card 16. One or more pairs of slots (two pairs in Fig. 1) are provided, as slots 24, along a height direction (z-axis) of the housing 18. Latch windows 26 are provided in the respective slots 24 near the open end 18b of both the respective side walls 22. The respective slots 24 extend in a direction (x-axis direction) transverse to the moving direction of the memory card 16. The housing 18 has mount holes 28b through which screws 28a are inserted for mounting to a computer's casing, or mount members 28 which have mount holes 28b. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 , one end 30a of each of the pins 30 on the header 20 is projected toward an inside of the closed end 18a of the housing 18 and is mechanically and electrically connectable to an 1/0 connector 34, as will be set out below, provided in the memory card 16. The other end 30b of each of the respective pins 30 on the header 20 extends out of the closed end 18a of the housing 18 and is connectable, by

soldering for instance, to a circuit, not shown, in the casing of the computer.

The memory card 16 is equipped with a card type package 32 with a built-in module (not shown) including a ROM and RAM. Further, the memory card 16 has the aforementioned I/O connector 34 mounted at one longitudinal end face 32a of the package 32 and connectable to the pins 30 on the header 20, and one pair of latching mechanisms 36, 36 provided at the other longitudinal end face 32b of the package 32 and adapted to latch the memory card 16 to the header device 14.

The package 32 has slits 38 provided on both the side portions of the longitudinal end face 32b of the package 32 along an x-axis direction and latch windows 40 provided one at each of a pair of shorter opposite side walls 32c in a direction perpendicular to the end face 32b so as to correspond to the latch window 26 of the housing 18 of the header device 14.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, exploded view showing the latching mechanism 36. The latching mechanism 36 has a latch member 42 operated in cooperation with the slit 38 and latch window 40 and a compression metal spring 44 for moving the latch member 42 along the x-axis direction. In place of the compression metal spring 44, use may be made of an elastic plastic member having the same function as that of the metal spring 44.

The latch member 42 is comprised of a substantially T-shaped member and has a plate-like member 46 extending in the X-axis direction and a slide member 48 projecting from the plate-like member 46 in the Y-axis direction. Most of the latch member 42 is held in the package 32 except that the slide member 48 projects from the slit 38 in the package 32 and that one end of the plate-like member 46, that is, the latch projection 46a, is projectable out of the latch window 40 in the package 32. The slide member 48 extends from the end face 32b of the package 32 so as to be readily operated by the fingers of the operator.

The plate-like member 46 has a guide hole 46c extending approximately from one end 46a to the other end 46b thereof. A pin, not shown, is inserted into the guide hole 46c inside the package 32. The end 46b of the plate-like member 46 is normally urged toward the latch window 40 by the spring 44 provided inside the package 32. With the spring 44 in a stretched position, the end 46a of the plate-like member 46 is projected out of the latch window 40 of the package 32. With the spring 44 in a compressed position, the end 46a of the plate-like member 46 is not projected out of the latch window 40. The stretching and compression of the spring 44 can be adjusted by slidably moving the slide member 48 along the slit 38 and guide hole 46c. The slit 38 and latch window 40 can be formed without increasing the dimension of the package 32. That is, the dimension of the memory card 16 is 85.60 mm long x 54.00 mm wide as in the case of, for example, a normal memory card. In contrast with the normal memory card, the 1/0 connector 34 is mounted at the longitudinal end face 32a side of the package 32 so as to correspond to a larger number of pins, such as 2 x 60 pins.

The operation steps of inserting the memory card 16 into the card system 12 set out above are as set out below, provided that the header device 14 is mounted in the computer casing.

(i) The memory card 16 is inserted via the open end 18b.

(ii) The 1/0 connector 34 of the memory card 16 is connected to the header 20 of the header device 14 by slidably moving the slide members 48, 48 along the slit 38, by the fingers of the operator, in a direction to compress the spring

44.

(iii) After the 1/0 connector 34 has been positively connected to the corresponding header 20, the slide members 48, 48 are manually released. As a result, the end 46a of the plate-like member 46 is projected, under the influence of the

spring 44, out of the latch window 40 in the package 32 and snap-fitted to the latch window 26 in the housing 18 of the header 14. This can be ascertained with a clicking sound.

By the aforementioned operation, the memory card 16 is connected to the header device 14 so that the memory card 16 is latched to the header device 14.

Withdrawing the memory card away from the header device is achieved as will be set out below.

(i) The memory card 16 is unlatched from the header device 14 by slidably moving the slide members 48, 48, by the fingers of the operator, in a direction to compress the spring 44 along the slit 38.

(ii) After the memory card 16 has been unlatched from the header device 14, the memory card 16 is withdrawn away from the header 20 of the header device 14.

By so doing it is possible to completely withdraw the memory card 16 out of the header device 14.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that (1) in place of the direct manual operation of the latching mechanism 36, use is made of an elongated hand tool 50 for operating a corresponding latching mechanism 36 from outside the computer casing and that (2) the latch member 42 in the latching mechanism 36 is design-modified due to the use of the elongated hand tool 50.

Except for the aforementioned differences (1) and (2) , the card system 12 is similar to that of the first embodiment, unless stated otherwise, and any duplicate explanation as well as the disclosure of the associated drawing is, therefore, omitted for brevity's sake.

The elongated hand tool 50 is comprised of a substantially W-shaped means made of plastic or other elastic materials. A taper-like projection 52 is provided at each end of the elongated hand tool 50, noting that the respective taper-like projections 52 serve as a substitute for the operator' s fingers.

As shown in Fig. 7, slide members 48 of a pair of

latch members (only one member shown) 42, 42 in the second embodiment are provided such that, with a latch projection 46a projected out of a latch window 40, a clearance 54 is created between the slide member 48 and the end edge 38a of slit 38 which is situated on the latch window 40 side. The clearance 54 has such a size as to allow the insertion of one taper-like projection 52 of the elongated hand tool 50.

According to the second embodiment, since the slide members 48 need not be operated by the operator's fingers, the slide member 48 is not necessarily projected via an end face 32b of the package 32. Since the end face 32b of the package 32 is flat and free from any projection, a memory card 16 is properly protected from any shock involved.

The latching of the memory card to a header 20 with the use of the hand tool 50 will be set out below.

(i) The taper-like projections 52, that is, both the ends, of the hand tool 50 are inserted into the corresponding clearances 54 defined relative to the slits 38.

(ii) The hand tool 50 has its ends pressed inwardly toward each other as indicated by the arrows 56 in Fig. 6. As a result, latch members 42 are moved against the springs 44 so that the latch projections 46a are retracted via the corresponding windows 40 of the package 32. In this state, the package 32 is gripped by the hand tool 50. (iii) In the state (i) , the memory card 16 is pushed, by the hand tool 50, toward the header 20 side so that the 1/0 connector 34 of the memory card 16 is connected to the header 20.

(iv) When the taper-like projections 52 of the hand tool 50 are withdrawn via the clearances 54, the latch members

42 are moved under the influence of the springs 44 so that the latch projections 46a are latched to the latch windows 18 in a housing 18 of a header device 14.

By so doing, the memory card 16 is latched to the header device 14. When the memory card 16 is unlatched from the header device 14, it is only necessary to withdraw the memory card 16 out of the header device 14 after the same

operation as set out in step (i) has been done.

It is particularly useful to use the hand tool in the case where access of human fingers to a narrow inner space-of a computer casing is difficult. A card type data processing medium 16 for the card system 12 of the present invention is restricted neither to a memory card with a ROM or a RAM package built therein nor to a memory card having such a dimension and pin number as set out above. In place of the memory card, use may be made of a card incorporating therein a package having, for example, an interface circuit, a hybrid circuit with various electronic component parts for data processing, etc.

The I/O connector 34 may be mounted on a shorter side, instead of a longitudinal side, of the memory card 16. The header device 14 may be mounted not only on the computer casing but also a casing of a peripheral unit for the computer system.

In the card system of the present invention, the header device 14 and card 16 can of course be separately manufactured.

According to the card system of the present invention, when the connector of the card type data processing medium is connected to the header of the header device, the package of the card type data processing medium is latched to the housing of the header device. Therefore, a highly reliable connection can be achieved when comparison is made with a system where a connection state is achieved by only a holding power between the connector and the header.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents .