TWINCY, Nirmala (Thattil Mapranathukaran House, School Road Varakkara P.O, Thissur - 5, 680 32, IN)
SOMASUNDARAM, k. (Lakshmi House, 241 A Marutha Kanar Street Velandipalayam, Coimbatore 5, 64102, IN)
THOMAS, Dilip (Kochuthazhathu House, Kollad PO, Kottayam - 9, 686 02, IN)
TWINCY, Nirmala (Thattil Mapranathukaran House, School Road Varakkara P.O, Thissur - 5, 680 32, IN)
SOMASUNDARAM, k. (Lakshmi House, 241 A Marutha Kanar Street Velandipalayam, Coimbatore 5, 64102, IN)
CLAIMS
1. An IC card connector (1 ) for connecting an IC card (100) having a terminal array, comprising:
- a housing (3) to receive the IC card,
- contact blades (5) provided on a bottom (4) of the housing for engaging the terminal array of the IC card when said IC card is fully inserted in said housing,
- a first (10) and a second (11) borders provided on said housing, said first border being opposite said second border and having at least one resilient arm (17, 18) adapted to hold the IC card against said second border when said 1C card is fully inserted, characterized in that the first border is a separate part (10) from the housing and attached thereon.
2. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the second border is a separate part (11 ) from the housing and attached thereon.
3. An IC card connector according one to the previous claims, wherein the first border comprises a U shaped elongated body comprising an upper plate (15), a lower plate (19) and a lateral plate (16) joining said upper plate to said bottom plate, said upper plate and said lower plate facing each other in a substantially parallel way.
4. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the lower and lateral plates each comprises two parts, the parts of said lateral plate being attached to each end of upper plate so as to define an opening in the central portion of the first lateral border, and wherein at least one of each part of said lateral plate extends with a resilient arm (17, 18), said resilient arm being bent inside said first border.
5. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the housing comprises first walls (10 1 ) provided on one edge of the bottom face, and extending perpendicularly therefrom, said first walls comprising at least two parts so as to define a first central opening (110).
6. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the first border is attached to the first walls through retention means (24', 25').
7. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the retention means are bosses provided on the first wall adapted to cooperate with openings (24, 25) formed on the first border.
8. An IC card connector according to one of the previous claims 5 to 7, wherein a notch (38) is defined on the bottom face so as to prolong first central opening into the housing, said notch and said central opening being adapted to accommodate the at least one resilient arm when the first lateral border is attached to the housing.
9. An IC card connector according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the second border comprises a U shaped elongated body comprising an upper plate (14), a lower plate (12) and a lateral plate (13) joining said upper plate to said bottom plate, said upper plate and said lower plate facing each other in a substantially parallel way.
10. An IC card connector according to the previous claim, wherein the housing comprises second walls (11') provided on another edge of the bottom face opposite the first walls, and extending perpendicularly from said bottom face, said second walls comprising at least two parts so as to define a second central opening (111).
11. An IC card connector according to any of the previous claims, wherein the first and second lateral borders are metal stamped.
12. An IC card connector according to any of the previous claims 1 to 10, wherein the first and second lateral borders are plastic molded. |
IC CARD READER WITH HOLDING MEANS
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to an IC card connector for connecting an IC card in a IC card reader system or the like. An IC card contain ICs (integrated circuits) such as memory circuits, i.e. RAMs (random access memories), and control circuits, i.e. CPUs (central processing units). The IC cards normally include a terminal array for connection through a card reader system to external equipment such as the printed circuit board of an electronic device, such as a computer, a cellular phone... The connector usually comprises an IC card receiving socket or housing, and a plurality of contacts provided in the socket for engaging the terminal array of the IC card. The card is to be inserted and removed from the receiving socket a number of times, and the connector contacts are resilient or comprise spring contacts for resiliently engaging the terminal array of the card when the card is inserted into the socket.
With the ever-increasing miniaturization of IC cards an,d their respective connectors, various problems continue to arise. For instance, the very handling of an IC card may prove difficult, and its easy and proper positioning may problematic when the card is inserted into and/or removed from the receiving socket.
EP 1111721 A1 discloses an IC card connector comprising a housing or socket to receive the IC card, contact blades provided at the bottom of the housing for engaging the terminal array of the IC card, a first and a second borders opposite to one another. The first border further has a resilient arm adapted to hold the IC card against the opposite second border when the IC card is fully inserted. The resilient arm and first border are integral with the housing of the card reader, the first border being attached thereto through a narrow foot section of dimensions much smaller than the border and resilient arm themselves. With frequent handling of the IC card leading to a number of insertion and removal (loading/unloading) cycles, a minimum thickness are required for the foot section and the resilient arm. Such dimensions are incompatible with today's miniaturization constraints.
Furthermore, as the housing is generally plastic molded, a complex mold is required to manufacturing the known IC card housing. Removal of the housing from it mold may result in damage to the first border and the resilient arm. Therefore, there is a need for an easy to manufacture IC card reader that does not display the above mentioned drawbacks.
An object of the present invention is to provide an easy to manufacture
IC card connector compatible with today's miniaturization constraints. A further object of the invention is to provide an IC card reader that can withstand a large number of loading/unloading cycles of the IC card without causing damage to the flexible arm.
These objects are achieved by providing an IC card connector according to claim 1.
As the first border is a separate piece attached to the housing, the housing layout is much simpler, and does not require a complex mold to manufacture.
In a preferred embodiment, the first border is metal stamped. Such a technique allows for a thin border that can be attached, e.g. snapped on, the housing, the resilient arm being cut out from the metal border. The resulting resilient arm shows dimensions compatible with a miniaturized IC card connector and can withstand high loading/unloading cycles of the IC card even though its thickness is limited.
Other features and advantages of this invention will further appear in the hereafter description when considered in connection to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 represents a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a IC card connector according to the invention;
Fig. 2 corresponds to the top perspective view of Fig. 1 with the card represented in dotted line before insertion; Fig. 3 represents a top perspective view of the IC card housing without the first and second borders;
Fig. 4.1 and 4.2 are perspective views of the first and second borders respectively as seen on Fig. 1 before assembly to the IC card reader;
Fig. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the first border. Fig. 1 shows an IC card connector 1 according to the invention. The connector 1 is designed to receive an IC card (not shown) in a seat 2 of a housing 3 (as shown in Fig. 3). The housing 3 particularly includes a bottom 4 with contact blades 5 provided therein. Contact blades 5 are to engage the terminal array of an IC card when said IC card is fully inserted in the seat 2 of housing 3.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, contact blades 5 are resilient metal blades which may be, for instance, overmolded inside the housing 3. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the housing 3 includes a bottom 4 having apertures 6 wherefrom the active conductive portions of these contact blades 5 protrude. Each contact blade 5 comprises a contact tab 7 to be welded to, for instance, tracks on a printed circuit board (PCB). These contact tabs 7 may be provided in the space delimited by the frame of the housing 3. However, they may be also provided at a peripheral side of the frame of the housing 3 (not shown in Fig. 1 ).
The connector 1 further includes a first lateral border 10 and a second lateral border 11 located opposite the first lateral border 10. In the IC card connector according to the invention, first 10 and second 11 lateral borders are separate parts from housing 3 and are attached thereon through retention means as described later on.
Housing 3 is shown without the lateral borders on Fig. 3, while the first border 10 is shown in Fig. 4.1 and 5, and the second border 11 is shown in Fig. 4.2. First lateral border 10 presents a U shaped elongated body and comprises an upper plate 15, a couple of lower plates 19 and a couple of lateral plates 16 joining upper plate 15 to each bottom plates 19 so that upper plate 15 and lower plates 19 face each others in a substantially parallel way. Lateral plates 16 are made of two parts attached to each end of upper plate 15 so as to define in the central portion of first lateral border 10 an opening. This opening allows each lateral plate to extend with resilient arms 17 and 18 respectively. Resilient arms 17 and 18 are bent towards the inside of the U shaped first border 10, and are both terminated with a flat end 23 facing each others and
substantially parallel to lateral borders 16. Each lower plate 19 can be seen on Fig. 5 which is a bottom perspective view of first border 10. Openings 24 are provided along each junction of upper plate 15 with lateral plates 16. Openings 25 are provided along each junction of lateral plates 16 with lower plates 19. Such openings allow the attachment of first border 10 to housing 3.
Housing 3 is shown in Fig.3 without first and second borders. Seat 2 that is to receive an IC card comprises bottom face 4 carrying contact blades 5. Bottom face 4 is substantially of rectangular shape with dimension slightly larger than the card's dimensions. Seat 2 is further delimited by first lateral walls 10' and second lateral walls 11'. First and second lateral walls 10' and 11' are provided on opposite edges of bottom face 4, and extend perpendicularly therefrom with a height h to define with said bottom the card seat. First walls 10' comprise preferably at least two parts provided on opposite ends of the bottom face first edge, so that a first central opening 110 is defined between said first walls. Second walls 11' comprise preferably at least two parts provided on opposite ends of the bottom face second edge, so that a second central opening 111 is defined between said first walls. First and second walls height h is preferably slightly greater than the card thickness.
A notch 38 is defined on bottom face 4 so as to prolong first central opening 110 into the housing 3. The first lateral border 10 of Fig. 4.1 and 5 is attached to housing 3 as seen in Fig. 1. To that effect, the distance between upper plate 15 and lower plates 19 is long enough so that first lateral border 10 can be inserted onto first walls 10'. Such distance is as long or longer than height h of first walls 10'. First border 10 is pushed onto first walls 10' till they come in abutment with each other, i.e. lateral plates 16 are in contact with first walls 10'.
Central opening 110 and notch 38 are such that they can accommodate resilient arms 17 and 18 that protrude into the card seat 2 when first lateral border is placed on housing 3. First walls 10' are each provided with a pair of bosses 24' and 25' respectively, these bosses being adapted to be inserted respectively into openings 24 and 25 from first border 10 so that said first border is secured to housing 3, for example through a snapping motion. Bosses 24' and 25' are examples of retentions means provided on the housing,
here on the first walls 10', to secure the first border 10 onto housing 3 thanks to their cooperation with corresponding openings 24 and 25 respectively.
When first border 10 is in place, upper plate 15 defines a flange that is adapted to maintain the IC card in place against bottom face 4. Upper plate 15 thus further defines card seat 2.
Second lateral border 11 is shown in Fig. 4.2 and presents a U shaped elongated body comprising a couple of upper plates 14, a lower plate 12 and a couple of lateral plates 13 joining each upper plate 14 to bottom plate 12 so that upper plates 14 and lower plate 12 face each others in a substantially parallel way. Upper and lateral plates 14 and 13 respectively are made of two parts attached to each other on one side, and to each end of lower plate 12 on the other side, so as to define in the central portion of second lateral border 11 a central opening. Openings 26 are provided along each junction of upper plates 14 with lateral plates 13. Openings 27 are provided along each junction of lateral plates 13 with lower plate 12. Such openings allow the attachment of second border 11 to housing 3 thanks to bosses 26' and 27' provided thereon.
The second lateral border 11 of Fig. 4.2 is attached to housing 3 as seen in Fig. 1. To that effect, the distance between upper plates 14 and lower plate 12 is large enough so that second lateral border 11 can be inserted onto second walls 11'. Such distance is as long or longer than height h of second walls 11. Second border 11 is pushed onto second walls 11 ' till they come in abutment with each other, i.e. lateral plates 14 are in contact with second walls 11'. The second central opening 111 and the centra! opening of second lateral border 11 are such that they more or less correspond to each other as seen on Fig. 1, in order to define a common opening 112 on this side of the card seat 2 to access the IC card when in place.
A second notch (not shown in Fig. 1 or 2) may be defined on bottom face 4, opposite notch 38, so as to prolong the common opening mentioned here before into the housing 3 and facilitate further the access to the IC card. As mentioned earlier, second walls 11 ' are each provided with a pair of bosses 26' and 27' respectively, these bosses being adapted to be inserted respectively into openings 26 and 27 of second border 11 so that said second border is secured to housing 3, for example through a snapping motion. Bosses
26' and 27' are examples of retentions means provided on the housing, here on the second walls 11 ', to secure the second border 11 onto housing 3 thanks to their cooperation with corresponding openings 26 and 27 respectively.
When second border 11 is attached, upper plates 14 define a flange that is adapted to maintain the IC card in place against bottom face 4, as explained here after. Upper plates 14 thus further define card seat 2.
Thanks to the separate first and second borders, one can see that the housing shape is simple, thus reducing the molding constrains.
The IC card is inserted as seen in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the connector 1 is shown with a card 101 that is to be received in seat 2 as defined before, i.e. delimited by bottom face 4, lateral walls 10' and 11', and upper plates 15 and 14 (acting as flanges).
When an IC card is to be inserted in such a connector, a first edge 30 of said card is first pushed against resilient arms 17 and 18 (and ends 23) so that the flexible arms move back until edge 30 abuts against inner side of first walls 10' of card seat 2. It is understood that, in order to perform this operation, the card has to be preferably disposed obliquely with respect to a plane formed by bottom 4 of connector 1. In fact, the edge 30 is disposed against flexible arms 17 and 18 but abuts against bottom 4 as well. Finally, when edge 30 abuts against first walls 10', a second, preferably opposite, edge 34 of IC card 110 is pushed down against the bottom 4 so that the card is forced against the bottom 4 of seat 2, and below upper plates 14. While the second edge is pushed down, the pressure exerted on resilient arms 17 and 18 is maintained. Then, once the card is fully pressed against the bottom 4 of the seat 2, the pressure exerted by the edge 30 on resilient arms 17 and 18 is preferably released from the second central opening 111 , so that resilient arms 17 and 18 exert an elastic pressure against edge 30 to push edge 34 of the card against the second walls 11' right beneath upper plates 14.
Resilient arms 17 and 18 are defined so that when the IC card is in place in seat 2, they are bent so as to press the IC card against second walls
11'. Furthermore, when edge 30 of IC card is abutted against first walls 10', upper plates 14 extending over bottom 4 are adapted so that edge 34 does not come into contact with said upper plates 14 as the IC card is lowered towards
bottom 4. Arms 17 and 18 are resilient enough to that when edge 30 is pressed against first wails 10, no plastic deformation occurs.
The card is removable by performing the same steps in the reverse direction, starting with applying pressure on edge 34 that is accessible thanks to the common opening 112 (and the second notch if provided) so as to push resilient arms 17 and 18 outside of seat 2. Upper plates 14 act as a flange that overhangs upper face 33 of the IC card.
First and second borders may be plastic molded or preferably made from a stamped metal sheet that is cut and bent so as to obtain the U shaped profile and the resilient arms 17 and 18, as seen on Fig. 4.1 and 5 for the first border, and cut and bent to obtain the U shaped profile as seen on Fig. 4.2 for the second border.
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