CA2232281C - Connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type - Google Patents
Connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2232281C CA2232281C CA002232281A CA2232281A CA2232281C CA 2232281 C CA2232281 C CA 2232281C CA 002232281 A CA002232281 A CA 002232281A CA 2232281 A CA2232281 A CA 2232281A CA 2232281 C CA2232281 C CA 2232281C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- card
- connector
- extraction
- lip
- transverse edge
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Landscapes
- Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
Abstract
The invention proposes a connector (64) for connecting a contact card (C) with integrated circuit(s) to a unit which includes a support (66) made of insulating material, characterized in that it includes a device (172) which is intended for holding the card in the position in which it is inserted into the connector and includes a lip (174) which includes a rear cut-out whose profile is complementary to that of the front transverse edge (99) of the card, and in that, in order to extract the card, irrespective of whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by acting on the lip (174) in order to move the lip vertically so as to release the card.
Description
The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a contact c;~rd with integrated circuits) to a unit, and a unit equipped with a connector of this type.
Connection o1' a smart card to any particular electronic device s for processing data which it contains is commonly carried out via a connector' of known general design, which includes a support, made of insulating material., including an open housing in its upper face which receives the ~>mart card including, on its main face, conductive zones which interact with the contact ends of electrical contact to elements arranged in the bottom of the housing of the insulating support of the connector.
They object of the invention is to propose a novel design of a connector which mGrkes it possible to hold the card in the inserted position and to prev~;nt it from escaping accidentally.
is To 'this end, the invention proposes a connector, characterized in that it includes a device which is intended for holding the card in the position in which it is inserted into the connector and includes a lip which includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary to that of the front tran~werse edge of the card, and in that, in order to extract the ?o card, irrespective c>f whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by acting on the lip in order to move the lip vertically so as to release the card.
According to other characteristics of the invention:
the card is permanently pressed by a spring in a direction Zs corresponding to its extraction from the connector;
the lip is connected to at least one longitudinal arm which, by bending vertically, allows the lip to move in a substantially vertical plane;
the lip retracts automatically when the card is inserted, insofar as the rear transverse edge of the card interacts with the lip, which acts as a cam in order to cause the arm to deform elastically, with the lip then bE~aring against the opposing portion of the card;
in the vicinity of its front transverse edge, the card includes a s cut-out surface which constitutes an orienting means for the position of the card in the connector, and the lip includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary with that of the front transverse edge of the card with a cut-out surface;
the support rnade of insulating material includes an open ro housing in its upper face, delimited by two edges, parallel to the insertion direction ot~ t:he card, and transversely by at least one rear edge, and which at Feast partly receives the card including, on its lower main face, conductive zones which interact with the- contact ends of Electrical contact elements arranged in the bottom of the as housing of the support, when the card is in its connection position, in which its rear transverse edge abuts against the rear transverse edge of the housing;
means for extracting the card include a notch which is formed in an upper wall anca extends parallel to the insertion direction of the 2o card in order to maker it possible to act on the card with a view to causing it to slide inside the housing in the direction corresponding to its extraction;
the notch extends at least partly in line with the rear transverse edge of the card, when the latter is in the inserted position, in order to Zs allow the insertion of an extraction tool which interacts with the rear transverse edge of the card;
means for extracting the card include an extraction carriage, mounted so as to slide on the support of the connector between a card insertion position and an extraction position in which the card at least partly projects out of the unit, the extraction carriage includes an active transverse edge which extends facing the rear transverse edge of the card, and means, accessible from outside, are provided for controlling the sliding displacements of the carriage;
s the extraction carriage is returned elastically towards the card extraction position.
The invention also proposes a unit with upper and lower walls which delimit between them a cavity inside which a connector according to the invention is arranged, characterized in that the unit to includes a slot for inserting, or extracting, the card into/from the unit in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the card.
According to ether characteristics of the unit:
in the inserted position, the card is arranged entirely inside the unit;
is in the position in which it is inserted into the unit, and thus in the connE:ction position in the housing of the connector, the front transverse edge of the card is situated entirely inside the unit, that is to say slightly set back inwards relative to the main edge of the insertion slot.
ao Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the following detailed description, in order to understand which, r~:ference will be made to the appended drawings, in which, Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main Zs components of a unit equipped with a connector for connecting a card;
Figure 2 is c~ perspective detail view of the unit illustrated in Figure 1, which illustrates, on a larger scale, the arrangement of the slot for inserting the card into the unit;
Figure 3 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a smart card connector, intended to be integrated in a unit;
Fi~~ure 4 is a side view along the arrow F4 in Figure 3;
Fi~~ure 5 is a side view along the arrow F8 in Figure 3;
s Figure 6 is a plan view of the connection unit, with partial cut-away, which illustrates the installation of the connector on the printed-circuit board, in proximity to the card insertion slot;
Figure 7 is a view in partial section along the line 7-7 in Figure 6;
to Figure 8 is a similar view to the one in Figure 3, which illustrates a second ~~mbodiment of the connector which, in this case, is equippE~d with a first alternative embodiment of the card extraction carriage, <~nd on which the carriage and the card are shown in solid lines in the card insertion position and in stippled lines in the partial Is card extraction position;
Figures 9 and 10 are similar views to the ones in is Figures 4 and 5, along the arrows F9 and F1 a in Figure 8;
Figure 11 is a similar view to the one in Figure 8, which illustrates a third embodiment of the connector which, in this case, is Zo equipped 'with a seccand alternative embodiment of the card extraction carriage, and on which the carriage and the card are shown in stippled lines in the card insertion position;
Figure 11A its a perspective view along the arrow F11A in Figure 11, which illustrates the design of the extraction carriage on a Zs larger scaie;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the support, made of insulating material, of the connector intended to be equipped 'with the slot closure means illustrated in Figure 13;
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the closure device intended to be fitted to the connector whose insulator is represented in Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a similar view to the one in Figure 6, which illustrates the connector and the closure device which are s represented in Figures 12 and 13, with the card in the inserted position;
Figure 15 is a similar view to the one in Figure 7, in partial section along the IinEf 15-15 in Figure 14;
Figure 16 is a similar view to the one in Figure 15, without the io card;
Figures 17 and 18 are similar views to the ones in Figures 15 and 16, which illustrate an alternative embodiment of the closure device which also fulfils the function, in accordance with the teachings of the invention, of a device for locking the card in the ~s position in which it is inserted into the unit;
Figure 19 is a similar view to the one in Figure 18, which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the locking and closure device illustrated in Figure 18, in association with an alternative embodiment of the automatic extraction carriage illustrated in Figure 20 11;
Figure 20 is a similar view to the one in Figure 18, which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the means for locking the card and t:he carriage in the card insertion position; and Figure.21 is a view along the line 21-21 in Figure 20.
Figure 1 represents a unit 30, of known general design, which essentialls~ consists of a metal shell including an upper half-shell 32 and a lo~nrer half-shell 34, each of which is a piece of cut, stamped and folded sheet metal.
!'>
ThE: shapes and the dimensions of the shell, in two parts 32, 34, are in accordance with the PCMCIA standard which, further to its dimensions, also determines the design details of the shell so as to allow it to be inserted into a complementarily shaped standardized s slot (not shown) belonging, for example, to a personal computer.
A printed-circuit board 36 is arranged inside the unit 30, between i;he half-shells 32 and 34, and extends parallel to the general plane of the unit and, at each of its opposite longitudinal ends, carries connectors 38, 40, illustrated schematically in Figure 1, it being io possible for one or other of the connectors, depending on the applications, to be replaced by an element of the same size which constitutes a plug for closing the unit 30 at its corresponding longitudinal end.
The printed-circuit board, which constitutes the intermediate ~s board of the unit, can receive electronic components (not shown) on its two faces.
As represented in Figure 1, one of the connectors 40 may, for example, be designed to allow wiring of a plug 42 which connects the unit 30, for example, to a telecommunication line.
ao The upper half-shell 32 delimits a plane upper main wall 44 which, in cooperation with the plane lower main wall 46 of the lower half-shell 34, delimits an internal cavity 48 (see Figure 2) inside which the printed-circuit bcyard 36 extends, parallel to the walls 44 and 46 and substantially halfway between the opposite inner faces 45 and 47 Zs of the walls 44 and 46.
According to the standardized design of the unit 30, it is delimited transversely by two opposite side walls 50 and 52, which are parallel to the general longitudinal direction of the unit 30 and which here consist of folded vertical edges 54 and 56 of the lower half-shell 34, which are crimped around the opposite side edges of the upper half-shell 32, one 58 of which is illustrated in Figure 1.
The unit 30 may be produced with a one-piece shell.
The side walls 50 and 52 of the connection unit 30 are s designed in the form of rails for guiding the unit 30 in corresponding slideways (not shown) belonging to the standardized slot intended to receive the unit 30.
To this end, the side end portions of the upper 32 and lower 34 half-shell:; are deformed 60, 62 to give the side walls 50 and 52 a io height which is les4; than the overall height of the unit 30, that is to say its thickness in its central part.
A connector 64 intended to receive a contact card C with integrated circuit(s), of the "MICRO SIM" type, is arranged inside the unit 30.
Is According to a known design which is, for example, described and represented in French Patent Application No. 95.14767, the connector 64 essentially consists of a support 66, made of insulating material, which, in its upper face 68, delimits a housing 70 whose shape is c:omplemerntary with that of the card C and which is intended ao at least partly to receive the latter whose lower face 72 includes conductive zones 74 which, when the card C 'is in the position in which it is inserted into the housing 70, are in contact with contact ends 76 belonging tca contact blades 78 of the connector.
The connector 66 is intended to be mounted with the lower face Zs 67 of the insulator 66 bearing on the upper face 37 of the printed-circuit board 36.
Once the unit 30 is assembled and closed with the connector 64 carried by the printed-circuit board 10, and in order to allow insertion or extraction of the card C into or from the connector 64, a slot 80 is provided which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, is arranged in the vicinity of one of the side walls 50 of the connf:ction unit 30.
More particularly, and as can be seen in detail in Figure 2, the s insertion slot 80 extends essentially in the inclined portion 82 of the side part of the upper half-shell 32 which joins the upper main wall 44 to the fold 60 extending in the plane portion 84 corresponding to the reduced-thickness side portion of the unit 30.
The portion 84' of the said part 84, which extends in line with io the slot 80 cut out from the inclined part 82, is slightly deformed vertically downwards with respect to the general plane of the part 84.
The insertion slot 80 is thus delimited by two upper main edges 86 and 88 and by two end edges 90 and 92.
In this embodiment of the connector 64, it includes, on its lower Is face 67, four feet 101 in the form of cylindrical studs which are intended, on the one hand, to position and fix the connector 64 on the printed-circuit board 36 which, to this end, includes corresponding holes 100 through which the feet 101 extend and, on the other hand, to allow the connector 64 to fulfil a spacer function between the upper Zo 44 and lower 46 main boards of the unit 30, in order to prevent accidental crushing of the unit 30.
To this end, and as can be seen in particular in Figure 7, the height of the feet 101, which are in the form of cylindrical studs and form a spacer, is such that the lower end face 102 of each foot 101 is Zs in contact with the inner face 47 of the lower wall 46, while the plane upper facE; 68 of the insulating support 66 of the connector 64 bears against the opposite inner face 45 of the upper wall 44.
As can be seen in Figure 3, the design of the connector 64, which includes a recess 110 formed in its front edge 112, and its <>
positioning on the printed-circuit card 36, with respect to the slot 80, are such that the connection ends of the contact blades 78 are set back with respect tca the axis region constituted by the slot 80, thus avoiding any risk of accidental short-circuit should a metallic object be s inserted into the slot: 80.
As can also be seen in Figures 6 and 7, when the card C is in the position in which it is inserted into the unit, and thus in the connection position of the housing 70 of the connector 64, its front transverse edge 99 is located entirely within the unit 30, that is to say io slightly set-back inwards with respect to the upper main edge 86 of the insertion slot 80.. In order to facilitate full insertion of the card, an additional cut-out may be provided in the edge of the slot 80.
They unit 30 ee~uipped with the connector 64 thus has an outer "contour", after insertion of the card C, which is identical to that of a ~s conventional unit, sc~ as to allow it to be inserted into a corresponding slot of a personal computer.
The extremely small dimensions of the insertion slot 80 do not modify the general structure of the unit 30, that is to say nor its rigidity, arid the slot: does not affect the electromagnetic screening ~o function which the unit fulfils with respect to the components (not shown) carried by the printed-circuit board 36.
According to the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures I to 7, in order to allow the card C to be extracted from the unit 30, a notch or extraction groove 114 is provided in the upper main board 44, this as being illustrated by a dotted and dashed line in Figure 6, and extending transversely with respect to the unit 30, that is to say parallel to the insertion or extraction direction I of the card. The notch 114 is positioned in such a way as to extend on either side of the rear transverse edge 98 c~f the card C and, preferably, opposite a region of the connector 64 which does not include metallic parts belonging to the contact blades ~'8.
It i:; thus possible to insert a small tool into the notch 114 in order to act on the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C, in order to s push it out from its housing 70, that is to say by making it slide from left to right, as regards Figure 6, over the travel permitted by the length of the notch 114, so that its front transverse edge 99 at least partly emerges from the unit 30 through the slot 80 such that, after this first extraction phase, the user can grasp the card in order to io extract it fully from the unit 30.
According to the standardized definition of "MICRO SIM" cards, an example of which is illustrated in the scope of the present description, the card (~ has, in the vicinity of its front transverse edge 99, a cut-~out surface: 'I 16 which, for some applications, constitutes an is orienting means for the position of the card C in its connector.
In order to hold the card C in the position in which it is inserted into the unit 30, and to prevent it from accidentally emerging, even partially, from the unit, a protuberance 120 may be provided, formed in the upper main wall 44 in line with the cut-out surface 116 and ao extending, over a srraall height, into the cavity 48 in order to constitute a stop which extends in front of the cut-out surface 116.
Whc;n the card is extracted using a tool inserted into the notch 114, the user must apply a slightly greater effort, so that, by means of a slight elastic deformation of the corresponding part of the upper wall as 44, the stop constituted by the protuberance 120 withdraws as the cut-out surface 116, 'then the upper face 73 of the card C, passes by.
The embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 will now so be described, according to which the connector 64, which has a slightly different design fronds the one described and represented above, is equipped with a carriage 130 for manual extraction of the card C.
To this end, the support 66, made of insulating material, of the connector 64 includes, on one of its side edges 132, a slideway 134 on which the side portion 136, in the form of a slide, of the extraction s carriage 130 is mounted so as to slide, this side portion 136 being extended by an extraction tab 138 which extends above the upper face 68 of the support 66, in the plane corresponding to the thickness of the card C.
they extraction tab 138 is delimited by a rear transverse edge l0 140 which, when them extraction carriage is in the "card insertion"
position (as represented by a solid line in Figure 8), abuts against the rear transverse edge 96 of the housing 70. The tab 138 is also delimited by a front transverse edge 142, against which the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C; bears.
is They extraction carriage 130 can slide from its card insertion position, from left to right as regards Figure 8, to a card C extraction position, during which it causes simultaneous displacement of the card C because of the interaction of the edge 142 of the tab 138 with the rear transverse edge 98 of the card.
2o In order to make the extraction carriage 130 slide, its part 136 which forms a slide includes a hollow 144 intended to receive the end of a complementarily shaped tool which is inserted into a notch in the upper faced 44 of the unit 30, which is a notch similar to the notch 114 described above but which then extends in front of the slide 136.
Zs This design is particularly advantageous because it avoids having to act directly with a tool on the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C, thus preventing damage to the card.
In addition, thf~ upper face, in the form of a board 137 of the metal slide 130 always extends in front of the notch 114, thus ensuring electromagnetic closure of the notch 114.
The embodiment illustrated in Figures 11 and 11A will now be described, in which the connector 64 is equipped with a card extraction carriage 130 which automatically extracts this card.
s To this end, the design of the extraction carriage 103 is similar to the one described with reference to Figures 8 to 10, but it is equipped with a tension coil spring 150 which continuously returns elastically to a card extraction position.
To this end, a first end 152 of the spring is hooked on a lug 154 io belonging to the slide 130, while its opposite end 156 is hooked on a lug 158 formed integrally with the insulator 66 of the connector 64.
Because of the presence of the tension spring 150, the card C, illustrated in stippled lines in Figure 11, is continuously urged from left to right by the extraction tab 138, that is to say in a direction is corresponding to its extraction from the connector 64 and therefore from the unit 30.
In order to hold the card in the inserted position, that is to say in the position in which it is illustrated in stippled lines in Figure 11, there is a means for locking the extraction carriage 130 in the card insertion Zo position, which meaaos here consists of a locking finger 160 which is intended, in the card insertion position, to be received in a complementary hole 162 formed opposite in the upper main wall 44 of the unit 30, as illustrated in Figure 11A.
The finger 16Cu consists, for example, of a protuberance or of a Zs ball arranged at the end of an arm 166 which extends the main body of the extraction carriage 130, in the plane of the upper face 137 of the latter, the bar constituted by the arm 166 can be flexed by elastic deformation vertically downwards in order to release the locking finger 160 from the hole 162, using a tool (not shown) by means of ).3 which pressure is exerted on the 'finger 160, which is then retracted into the unit, allowing automatic extraction of the card under the action of the spring '150, with the finger 160 rubbing, during the extraction travel, against the opposite inner face 45 of the upper main s wall 44.
Further to the fact that it allows the card to be extracted automatically, the design of the automatic extraction carriage 130, associated with an extraction spring 150, makes it possible to do without the notch 114 in the unit 30, and to replace it by a simple io small hole 162 whi~:;h is closed either by that end of the arm 166 which constitutes the locking finger 160, or by an opposite portion of the upper face 167 of the arm 166, during the extraction travel of the carriage 130.
A first illustrative embodiment of the means for at least partial is closure of the insertion slot 80 will now be described with reference to Figures 12 to 16.
To this end, the support, made of insulating material 66 of the connector 64 is modified in its front part, on the right as regards Figure 12, to include two opposite longitudinal ribs 170 for mounting a 2o closure device 172 irr a fixed position.
The device 17;Z essentially consists of a closure lip '174, of hollow semicylindrical curved general profile, the convex upper face 176 of which is oriented upwards in order to extend in proximity to and in front of the slot 80.
Zs The closure lip 174 is joined to two longitudinal and opposite parallel arms 178, each of which carries a tab 180 at its free end, for attaching the closure device 172 on the connector 164 by inserting the ribs 170 inl:o the attachment tabs which are curved back in a U-shape.
The closure device 172 is, for example, made by cutting and stamping a thin metal sheet.
As can be seen in Figures 14 to 16, the arms 178 which carry the closure lip 174 extend in the plane of the lower faces of the ribs 170 and, by being flexed vertically, they allow displacements of the lip s 174 in a substantially vertical plane, between its position, normally retracted downwards when the card C is in place in the connector 64, and a normal rest position illustrated in Figure 16, in which, in the absence of a card, the lip 174 extends in front of the slot 80, the size of which in this case is slightly greater than that illustrated above, that io is to say it extends slightly into the unit, in the upper face 44 of the half shell 32.
The closure lip 174 retracts automatically when the ~s card C is inserted in the direction I, insofar as the rear transverse edge 98 of the card (~ interacts with the upper face 176 which acts as a cam to Is cause elastic deformation of the arms 178, the lip 174 then bearing against the opposite portion of the lower face 72 of the card C.
ThE embodiment illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 will now be described, in which figures, in accordance with the teachings of the invention, the closure device 172 also constitutes a device for Zo retaining the card C in the position in which it is inserted into the connector 64 and into the unit 30.
To this end, the arms 178 are slightly longer and the lip 174 includes a rear cut-out 180, the profile of which is complementary to that of the front transverse edge 99 of the card C with a cut-out Zs surface 182.
WhE:n the card is in the inserted position, the edge of so the rear cut-out 180 extends facing the front transverse edge 99 of the card C, and it is therefore impossible to extract the card, since the closure device 172 thus fulfils a function of locking the card C in the I
inserted position and then avoids any accidental emergence of the card.
In order to extract the card, irrespective of whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by s acting through the slot 80 using a tool (not shown) on the lip 174 in order to cause a downwards vertical displacement of the latter until it passes below the plane of the card C to release the latter which can then slide, from left to right as regards Figures 17 and 18, out of the unit 30.
to In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 19, the closure device 172 is similar to the one illustrated in Figures 17 and 18, but is associated with an extraction carriage 130 of the type described and represented in Figures 11 and 11A, the lug 158 for attaching the extraction spring 150 being formed integrally with the is closure dE:vice 172.
By virtue of this design, the automatic extraction carriage 130 can be simplified in so far as it is not necessary for it to have its own means for locking the card in the inserted position, locking being ensured by the closure device 172, the card being continuously urged Zo by the extraction carriage 130 in such a way that its front transverse edge 99 abuts against the edge of the rear cut-out 180 of the lip 174.
In order to cause automatic extraction of the card C, it is sufficient 'to act, as in the case of the embodiment described with reference to Figures 17 and 18, on the lip 174 through the slot 80 in as order to cause retraction of the lip 174 and automatic extraction of the card C, which is then urged, from left to right as regards Figure 19, by the extraction carriage 130.
In tine embodiment illustrated in Figures 20 and 21, the device for locking the card consists of a rocker bar 200 which is mounted so as to pivot on the insulator 66 of the connector 64 about a pin 202, the extraction spring 150 being hooked on a lug which is carried by the rocker bar 200 so as to urge the latter continuously into the card locking position, in which the rear cut-out 180 of the rocker bar 200 s extends in front of the front transverse edge 99 of the card C when the latter is in the inserted position, as is illustrated, in particular, in Figure 20.
The upper face 174 of the rocker bar 200 fulfils a function equivalent to that of the closure lip 174, insofar as it can extend in the to closure slot 80.
Connection o1' a smart card to any particular electronic device s for processing data which it contains is commonly carried out via a connector' of known general design, which includes a support, made of insulating material., including an open housing in its upper face which receives the ~>mart card including, on its main face, conductive zones which interact with the contact ends of electrical contact to elements arranged in the bottom of the housing of the insulating support of the connector.
They object of the invention is to propose a novel design of a connector which mGrkes it possible to hold the card in the inserted position and to prev~;nt it from escaping accidentally.
is To 'this end, the invention proposes a connector, characterized in that it includes a device which is intended for holding the card in the position in which it is inserted into the connector and includes a lip which includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary to that of the front tran~werse edge of the card, and in that, in order to extract the ?o card, irrespective c>f whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by acting on the lip in order to move the lip vertically so as to release the card.
According to other characteristics of the invention:
the card is permanently pressed by a spring in a direction Zs corresponding to its extraction from the connector;
the lip is connected to at least one longitudinal arm which, by bending vertically, allows the lip to move in a substantially vertical plane;
the lip retracts automatically when the card is inserted, insofar as the rear transverse edge of the card interacts with the lip, which acts as a cam in order to cause the arm to deform elastically, with the lip then bE~aring against the opposing portion of the card;
in the vicinity of its front transverse edge, the card includes a s cut-out surface which constitutes an orienting means for the position of the card in the connector, and the lip includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary with that of the front transverse edge of the card with a cut-out surface;
the support rnade of insulating material includes an open ro housing in its upper face, delimited by two edges, parallel to the insertion direction ot~ t:he card, and transversely by at least one rear edge, and which at Feast partly receives the card including, on its lower main face, conductive zones which interact with the- contact ends of Electrical contact elements arranged in the bottom of the as housing of the support, when the card is in its connection position, in which its rear transverse edge abuts against the rear transverse edge of the housing;
means for extracting the card include a notch which is formed in an upper wall anca extends parallel to the insertion direction of the 2o card in order to maker it possible to act on the card with a view to causing it to slide inside the housing in the direction corresponding to its extraction;
the notch extends at least partly in line with the rear transverse edge of the card, when the latter is in the inserted position, in order to Zs allow the insertion of an extraction tool which interacts with the rear transverse edge of the card;
means for extracting the card include an extraction carriage, mounted so as to slide on the support of the connector between a card insertion position and an extraction position in which the card at least partly projects out of the unit, the extraction carriage includes an active transverse edge which extends facing the rear transverse edge of the card, and means, accessible from outside, are provided for controlling the sliding displacements of the carriage;
s the extraction carriage is returned elastically towards the card extraction position.
The invention also proposes a unit with upper and lower walls which delimit between them a cavity inside which a connector according to the invention is arranged, characterized in that the unit to includes a slot for inserting, or extracting, the card into/from the unit in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the card.
According to ether characteristics of the unit:
in the inserted position, the card is arranged entirely inside the unit;
is in the position in which it is inserted into the unit, and thus in the connE:ction position in the housing of the connector, the front transverse edge of the card is situated entirely inside the unit, that is to say slightly set back inwards relative to the main edge of the insertion slot.
ao Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the following detailed description, in order to understand which, r~:ference will be made to the appended drawings, in which, Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main Zs components of a unit equipped with a connector for connecting a card;
Figure 2 is c~ perspective detail view of the unit illustrated in Figure 1, which illustrates, on a larger scale, the arrangement of the slot for inserting the card into the unit;
Figure 3 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a smart card connector, intended to be integrated in a unit;
Fi~~ure 4 is a side view along the arrow F4 in Figure 3;
Fi~~ure 5 is a side view along the arrow F8 in Figure 3;
s Figure 6 is a plan view of the connection unit, with partial cut-away, which illustrates the installation of the connector on the printed-circuit board, in proximity to the card insertion slot;
Figure 7 is a view in partial section along the line 7-7 in Figure 6;
to Figure 8 is a similar view to the one in Figure 3, which illustrates a second ~~mbodiment of the connector which, in this case, is equippE~d with a first alternative embodiment of the card extraction carriage, <~nd on which the carriage and the card are shown in solid lines in the card insertion position and in stippled lines in the partial Is card extraction position;
Figures 9 and 10 are similar views to the ones in is Figures 4 and 5, along the arrows F9 and F1 a in Figure 8;
Figure 11 is a similar view to the one in Figure 8, which illustrates a third embodiment of the connector which, in this case, is Zo equipped 'with a seccand alternative embodiment of the card extraction carriage, and on which the carriage and the card are shown in stippled lines in the card insertion position;
Figure 11A its a perspective view along the arrow F11A in Figure 11, which illustrates the design of the extraction carriage on a Zs larger scaie;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the support, made of insulating material, of the connector intended to be equipped 'with the slot closure means illustrated in Figure 13;
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the closure device intended to be fitted to the connector whose insulator is represented in Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a similar view to the one in Figure 6, which illustrates the connector and the closure device which are s represented in Figures 12 and 13, with the card in the inserted position;
Figure 15 is a similar view to the one in Figure 7, in partial section along the IinEf 15-15 in Figure 14;
Figure 16 is a similar view to the one in Figure 15, without the io card;
Figures 17 and 18 are similar views to the ones in Figures 15 and 16, which illustrate an alternative embodiment of the closure device which also fulfils the function, in accordance with the teachings of the invention, of a device for locking the card in the ~s position in which it is inserted into the unit;
Figure 19 is a similar view to the one in Figure 18, which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the locking and closure device illustrated in Figure 18, in association with an alternative embodiment of the automatic extraction carriage illustrated in Figure 20 11;
Figure 20 is a similar view to the one in Figure 18, which illustrates an alternative embodiment of the means for locking the card and t:he carriage in the card insertion position; and Figure.21 is a view along the line 21-21 in Figure 20.
Figure 1 represents a unit 30, of known general design, which essentialls~ consists of a metal shell including an upper half-shell 32 and a lo~nrer half-shell 34, each of which is a piece of cut, stamped and folded sheet metal.
!'>
ThE: shapes and the dimensions of the shell, in two parts 32, 34, are in accordance with the PCMCIA standard which, further to its dimensions, also determines the design details of the shell so as to allow it to be inserted into a complementarily shaped standardized s slot (not shown) belonging, for example, to a personal computer.
A printed-circuit board 36 is arranged inside the unit 30, between i;he half-shells 32 and 34, and extends parallel to the general plane of the unit and, at each of its opposite longitudinal ends, carries connectors 38, 40, illustrated schematically in Figure 1, it being io possible for one or other of the connectors, depending on the applications, to be replaced by an element of the same size which constitutes a plug for closing the unit 30 at its corresponding longitudinal end.
The printed-circuit board, which constitutes the intermediate ~s board of the unit, can receive electronic components (not shown) on its two faces.
As represented in Figure 1, one of the connectors 40 may, for example, be designed to allow wiring of a plug 42 which connects the unit 30, for example, to a telecommunication line.
ao The upper half-shell 32 delimits a plane upper main wall 44 which, in cooperation with the plane lower main wall 46 of the lower half-shell 34, delimits an internal cavity 48 (see Figure 2) inside which the printed-circuit bcyard 36 extends, parallel to the walls 44 and 46 and substantially halfway between the opposite inner faces 45 and 47 Zs of the walls 44 and 46.
According to the standardized design of the unit 30, it is delimited transversely by two opposite side walls 50 and 52, which are parallel to the general longitudinal direction of the unit 30 and which here consist of folded vertical edges 54 and 56 of the lower half-shell 34, which are crimped around the opposite side edges of the upper half-shell 32, one 58 of which is illustrated in Figure 1.
The unit 30 may be produced with a one-piece shell.
The side walls 50 and 52 of the connection unit 30 are s designed in the form of rails for guiding the unit 30 in corresponding slideways (not shown) belonging to the standardized slot intended to receive the unit 30.
To this end, the side end portions of the upper 32 and lower 34 half-shell:; are deformed 60, 62 to give the side walls 50 and 52 a io height which is les4; than the overall height of the unit 30, that is to say its thickness in its central part.
A connector 64 intended to receive a contact card C with integrated circuit(s), of the "MICRO SIM" type, is arranged inside the unit 30.
Is According to a known design which is, for example, described and represented in French Patent Application No. 95.14767, the connector 64 essentially consists of a support 66, made of insulating material, which, in its upper face 68, delimits a housing 70 whose shape is c:omplemerntary with that of the card C and which is intended ao at least partly to receive the latter whose lower face 72 includes conductive zones 74 which, when the card C 'is in the position in which it is inserted into the housing 70, are in contact with contact ends 76 belonging tca contact blades 78 of the connector.
The connector 66 is intended to be mounted with the lower face Zs 67 of the insulator 66 bearing on the upper face 37 of the printed-circuit board 36.
Once the unit 30 is assembled and closed with the connector 64 carried by the printed-circuit board 10, and in order to allow insertion or extraction of the card C into or from the connector 64, a slot 80 is provided which, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the figures, is arranged in the vicinity of one of the side walls 50 of the connf:ction unit 30.
More particularly, and as can be seen in detail in Figure 2, the s insertion slot 80 extends essentially in the inclined portion 82 of the side part of the upper half-shell 32 which joins the upper main wall 44 to the fold 60 extending in the plane portion 84 corresponding to the reduced-thickness side portion of the unit 30.
The portion 84' of the said part 84, which extends in line with io the slot 80 cut out from the inclined part 82, is slightly deformed vertically downwards with respect to the general plane of the part 84.
The insertion slot 80 is thus delimited by two upper main edges 86 and 88 and by two end edges 90 and 92.
In this embodiment of the connector 64, it includes, on its lower Is face 67, four feet 101 in the form of cylindrical studs which are intended, on the one hand, to position and fix the connector 64 on the printed-circuit board 36 which, to this end, includes corresponding holes 100 through which the feet 101 extend and, on the other hand, to allow the connector 64 to fulfil a spacer function between the upper Zo 44 and lower 46 main boards of the unit 30, in order to prevent accidental crushing of the unit 30.
To this end, and as can be seen in particular in Figure 7, the height of the feet 101, which are in the form of cylindrical studs and form a spacer, is such that the lower end face 102 of each foot 101 is Zs in contact with the inner face 47 of the lower wall 46, while the plane upper facE; 68 of the insulating support 66 of the connector 64 bears against the opposite inner face 45 of the upper wall 44.
As can be seen in Figure 3, the design of the connector 64, which includes a recess 110 formed in its front edge 112, and its <>
positioning on the printed-circuit card 36, with respect to the slot 80, are such that the connection ends of the contact blades 78 are set back with respect tca the axis region constituted by the slot 80, thus avoiding any risk of accidental short-circuit should a metallic object be s inserted into the slot: 80.
As can also be seen in Figures 6 and 7, when the card C is in the position in which it is inserted into the unit, and thus in the connection position of the housing 70 of the connector 64, its front transverse edge 99 is located entirely within the unit 30, that is to say io slightly set-back inwards with respect to the upper main edge 86 of the insertion slot 80.. In order to facilitate full insertion of the card, an additional cut-out may be provided in the edge of the slot 80.
They unit 30 ee~uipped with the connector 64 thus has an outer "contour", after insertion of the card C, which is identical to that of a ~s conventional unit, sc~ as to allow it to be inserted into a corresponding slot of a personal computer.
The extremely small dimensions of the insertion slot 80 do not modify the general structure of the unit 30, that is to say nor its rigidity, arid the slot: does not affect the electromagnetic screening ~o function which the unit fulfils with respect to the components (not shown) carried by the printed-circuit board 36.
According to the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures I to 7, in order to allow the card C to be extracted from the unit 30, a notch or extraction groove 114 is provided in the upper main board 44, this as being illustrated by a dotted and dashed line in Figure 6, and extending transversely with respect to the unit 30, that is to say parallel to the insertion or extraction direction I of the card. The notch 114 is positioned in such a way as to extend on either side of the rear transverse edge 98 c~f the card C and, preferably, opposite a region of the connector 64 which does not include metallic parts belonging to the contact blades ~'8.
It i:; thus possible to insert a small tool into the notch 114 in order to act on the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C, in order to s push it out from its housing 70, that is to say by making it slide from left to right, as regards Figure 6, over the travel permitted by the length of the notch 114, so that its front transverse edge 99 at least partly emerges from the unit 30 through the slot 80 such that, after this first extraction phase, the user can grasp the card in order to io extract it fully from the unit 30.
According to the standardized definition of "MICRO SIM" cards, an example of which is illustrated in the scope of the present description, the card (~ has, in the vicinity of its front transverse edge 99, a cut-~out surface: 'I 16 which, for some applications, constitutes an is orienting means for the position of the card C in its connector.
In order to hold the card C in the position in which it is inserted into the unit 30, and to prevent it from accidentally emerging, even partially, from the unit, a protuberance 120 may be provided, formed in the upper main wall 44 in line with the cut-out surface 116 and ao extending, over a srraall height, into the cavity 48 in order to constitute a stop which extends in front of the cut-out surface 116.
Whc;n the card is extracted using a tool inserted into the notch 114, the user must apply a slightly greater effort, so that, by means of a slight elastic deformation of the corresponding part of the upper wall as 44, the stop constituted by the protuberance 120 withdraws as the cut-out surface 116, 'then the upper face 73 of the card C, passes by.
The embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 to 10 will now so be described, according to which the connector 64, which has a slightly different design fronds the one described and represented above, is equipped with a carriage 130 for manual extraction of the card C.
To this end, the support 66, made of insulating material, of the connector 64 includes, on one of its side edges 132, a slideway 134 on which the side portion 136, in the form of a slide, of the extraction s carriage 130 is mounted so as to slide, this side portion 136 being extended by an extraction tab 138 which extends above the upper face 68 of the support 66, in the plane corresponding to the thickness of the card C.
they extraction tab 138 is delimited by a rear transverse edge l0 140 which, when them extraction carriage is in the "card insertion"
position (as represented by a solid line in Figure 8), abuts against the rear transverse edge 96 of the housing 70. The tab 138 is also delimited by a front transverse edge 142, against which the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C; bears.
is They extraction carriage 130 can slide from its card insertion position, from left to right as regards Figure 8, to a card C extraction position, during which it causes simultaneous displacement of the card C because of the interaction of the edge 142 of the tab 138 with the rear transverse edge 98 of the card.
2o In order to make the extraction carriage 130 slide, its part 136 which forms a slide includes a hollow 144 intended to receive the end of a complementarily shaped tool which is inserted into a notch in the upper faced 44 of the unit 30, which is a notch similar to the notch 114 described above but which then extends in front of the slide 136.
Zs This design is particularly advantageous because it avoids having to act directly with a tool on the rear transverse edge 98 of the card C, thus preventing damage to the card.
In addition, thf~ upper face, in the form of a board 137 of the metal slide 130 always extends in front of the notch 114, thus ensuring electromagnetic closure of the notch 114.
The embodiment illustrated in Figures 11 and 11A will now be described, in which the connector 64 is equipped with a card extraction carriage 130 which automatically extracts this card.
s To this end, the design of the extraction carriage 103 is similar to the one described with reference to Figures 8 to 10, but it is equipped with a tension coil spring 150 which continuously returns elastically to a card extraction position.
To this end, a first end 152 of the spring is hooked on a lug 154 io belonging to the slide 130, while its opposite end 156 is hooked on a lug 158 formed integrally with the insulator 66 of the connector 64.
Because of the presence of the tension spring 150, the card C, illustrated in stippled lines in Figure 11, is continuously urged from left to right by the extraction tab 138, that is to say in a direction is corresponding to its extraction from the connector 64 and therefore from the unit 30.
In order to hold the card in the inserted position, that is to say in the position in which it is illustrated in stippled lines in Figure 11, there is a means for locking the extraction carriage 130 in the card insertion Zo position, which meaaos here consists of a locking finger 160 which is intended, in the card insertion position, to be received in a complementary hole 162 formed opposite in the upper main wall 44 of the unit 30, as illustrated in Figure 11A.
The finger 16Cu consists, for example, of a protuberance or of a Zs ball arranged at the end of an arm 166 which extends the main body of the extraction carriage 130, in the plane of the upper face 137 of the latter, the bar constituted by the arm 166 can be flexed by elastic deformation vertically downwards in order to release the locking finger 160 from the hole 162, using a tool (not shown) by means of ).3 which pressure is exerted on the 'finger 160, which is then retracted into the unit, allowing automatic extraction of the card under the action of the spring '150, with the finger 160 rubbing, during the extraction travel, against the opposite inner face 45 of the upper main s wall 44.
Further to the fact that it allows the card to be extracted automatically, the design of the automatic extraction carriage 130, associated with an extraction spring 150, makes it possible to do without the notch 114 in the unit 30, and to replace it by a simple io small hole 162 whi~:;h is closed either by that end of the arm 166 which constitutes the locking finger 160, or by an opposite portion of the upper face 167 of the arm 166, during the extraction travel of the carriage 130.
A first illustrative embodiment of the means for at least partial is closure of the insertion slot 80 will now be described with reference to Figures 12 to 16.
To this end, the support, made of insulating material 66 of the connector 64 is modified in its front part, on the right as regards Figure 12, to include two opposite longitudinal ribs 170 for mounting a 2o closure device 172 irr a fixed position.
The device 17;Z essentially consists of a closure lip '174, of hollow semicylindrical curved general profile, the convex upper face 176 of which is oriented upwards in order to extend in proximity to and in front of the slot 80.
Zs The closure lip 174 is joined to two longitudinal and opposite parallel arms 178, each of which carries a tab 180 at its free end, for attaching the closure device 172 on the connector 164 by inserting the ribs 170 inl:o the attachment tabs which are curved back in a U-shape.
The closure device 172 is, for example, made by cutting and stamping a thin metal sheet.
As can be seen in Figures 14 to 16, the arms 178 which carry the closure lip 174 extend in the plane of the lower faces of the ribs 170 and, by being flexed vertically, they allow displacements of the lip s 174 in a substantially vertical plane, between its position, normally retracted downwards when the card C is in place in the connector 64, and a normal rest position illustrated in Figure 16, in which, in the absence of a card, the lip 174 extends in front of the slot 80, the size of which in this case is slightly greater than that illustrated above, that io is to say it extends slightly into the unit, in the upper face 44 of the half shell 32.
The closure lip 174 retracts automatically when the ~s card C is inserted in the direction I, insofar as the rear transverse edge 98 of the card (~ interacts with the upper face 176 which acts as a cam to Is cause elastic deformation of the arms 178, the lip 174 then bearing against the opposite portion of the lower face 72 of the card C.
ThE embodiment illustrated in Figures 17 and 18 will now be described, in which figures, in accordance with the teachings of the invention, the closure device 172 also constitutes a device for Zo retaining the card C in the position in which it is inserted into the connector 64 and into the unit 30.
To this end, the arms 178 are slightly longer and the lip 174 includes a rear cut-out 180, the profile of which is complementary to that of the front transverse edge 99 of the card C with a cut-out Zs surface 182.
WhE:n the card is in the inserted position, the edge of so the rear cut-out 180 extends facing the front transverse edge 99 of the card C, and it is therefore impossible to extract the card, since the closure device 172 thus fulfils a function of locking the card C in the I
inserted position and then avoids any accidental emergence of the card.
In order to extract the card, irrespective of whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by s acting through the slot 80 using a tool (not shown) on the lip 174 in order to cause a downwards vertical displacement of the latter until it passes below the plane of the card C to release the latter which can then slide, from left to right as regards Figures 17 and 18, out of the unit 30.
to In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Figure 19, the closure device 172 is similar to the one illustrated in Figures 17 and 18, but is associated with an extraction carriage 130 of the type described and represented in Figures 11 and 11A, the lug 158 for attaching the extraction spring 150 being formed integrally with the is closure dE:vice 172.
By virtue of this design, the automatic extraction carriage 130 can be simplified in so far as it is not necessary for it to have its own means for locking the card in the inserted position, locking being ensured by the closure device 172, the card being continuously urged Zo by the extraction carriage 130 in such a way that its front transverse edge 99 abuts against the edge of the rear cut-out 180 of the lip 174.
In order to cause automatic extraction of the card C, it is sufficient 'to act, as in the case of the embodiment described with reference to Figures 17 and 18, on the lip 174 through the slot 80 in as order to cause retraction of the lip 174 and automatic extraction of the card C, which is then urged, from left to right as regards Figure 19, by the extraction carriage 130.
In tine embodiment illustrated in Figures 20 and 21, the device for locking the card consists of a rocker bar 200 which is mounted so as to pivot on the insulator 66 of the connector 64 about a pin 202, the extraction spring 150 being hooked on a lug which is carried by the rocker bar 200 so as to urge the latter continuously into the card locking position, in which the rear cut-out 180 of the rocker bar 200 s extends in front of the front transverse edge 99 of the card C when the latter is in the inserted position, as is illustrated, in particular, in Figure 20.
The upper face 174 of the rocker bar 200 fulfils a function equivalent to that of the closure lip 174, insofar as it can extend in the to closure slot 80.
Claims (10)
1. Connector (64) for connecting a contact card (C) with integrated circuit(s) to a unit which includes a support (66) made of insulating material, characterized in that it includes a device (172) which is intended for holding the card in the position in which it is inserted into the connector and includes a lip which includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary to that of the front transverse edge (99) of the card, and in that, in order to extract the card, irrespective of whether the extraction mode is manual or automatic, it is necessary to unlock it by acting on the lip (174) in order to move the lip vertically so as to release the card.
2. Connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that the card (C) is permanently pressed by a spring in a direction corresponding to its extraction from the connector (64).
3. Connector according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the lip (174) is connected to at least one longitudinal arm (178) which, by bending vertically, allows the lip (174) to move in a substantially vertical plane.
4. Connector according to the Claim 3, characterized in that the lip (174) retracts automatically when the card (C) is inserted, insofar as the rear transverse edge (98) of the card (C) interacts with the lip (174), which acts as a cam in order to cause the arm (178) to deform elastically, with the lip (174) then bearing against the opposing portion of the card (C).
5. Connector according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, I
characterized in that, in the vicinity of its front transverse edge (99), the card (C) includes a cut-out surface (116) 'which constitutes an orienting means for the position of the card (C) in the connector, and in that the lip (174) includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary with that of the front transverse edge (99) of the card with a cut-out surface (182).
characterized in that, in the vicinity of its front transverse edge (99), the card (C) includes a cut-out surface (116) 'which constitutes an orienting means for the position of the card (C) in the connector, and in that the lip (174) includes a cut-out whose profile is complementary with that of the front transverse edge (99) of the card with a cut-out surface (182).
6. Connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support (66) made of insulating material includes an open housing (70) in its upper face (68), delimited by two edges (92, 94), parallel to the insertion direction of the card, and transversely by at least one rear edge (96), and which at least partly receives the card (C) including, on its lower main face (72), conductive zones (74) which interact with the contact ends (76) of electrical contact elements (78) arranged in the bottom of the housing (70) of the support, when the card (C) is in its connection position, in which its rear transverse edge (98) abuts against the rear transverse edge (96) of the housing.
7. Connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that means for extracting the card (C) include a notch (114') which is formed in an upper wall (44) and extends parallel to the insertion direction (I) of the card (C) in order to make it possible to act on the card (C) with a view to causing it to slide inside the housing (70) in the direction corresponding to its extraction.
8. Connector according to Claim 7, characterized in that the notch (114) extends at least partly in line with the rear transverse edge (98) of the card (C), when the latter is in the inserted position, in order to allow the insertion of an extraction tool which interacts with the rear transverse edge of the card.
9. Connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that means for extracting the card (C) include an extraction carriage (130), mounted so as to slide on the support (66) of the connector between a card (C) insertion position and an extraction position in which the card at least partly projects out of the unit, in that the extraction carriage (130) includes an active transverse edge (142) which extends facing the rear transverse edge (98) of the card (C), and in that means, accessible from outside, are provided for controlling the sliding displacements of the carriage.
10. Connector according to Claim 9, characterized in that the extraction carriage (130) is returned elastically (150) towards the card (C) extraction position.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR9604842A FR2747847B1 (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1996-04-18 | ELECTRONIC CONNECTION BOX, TO A PERSONAL COMPUTER, EQUIPPED WITH A CONNECTOR FOR A CHIP CARD |
| FR96/04842 | 1996-04-18 | ||
| CA002221890A CA2221890C (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electronic connection box for a personal computer with a smart card connector |
Related Parent Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002221890A Division CA2221890C (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electronic connection box for a personal computer with a smart card connector |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2232281A1 CA2232281A1 (en) | 1997-10-23 |
| CA2232281C true CA2232281C (en) | 2004-03-16 |
Family
ID=25679858
Family Applications (3)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002232282A Expired - Fee Related CA2232282C (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electrical connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type |
| CA002273502A Abandoned CA2273502A1 (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electronic connection unit, for a personal computer, including a connector for a smart card |
| CA002232281A Expired - Fee Related CA2232281C (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type |
Family Applications Before (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002232282A Expired - Fee Related CA2232282C (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electrical connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type |
| CA002273502A Abandoned CA2273502A1 (en) | 1996-04-18 | 1997-04-07 | Electronic connection unit, for a personal computer, including a connector for a smart card |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (3) | CA2232282C (en) |
-
1997
- 1997-04-07 CA CA002232282A patent/CA2232282C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1997-04-07 CA CA002273502A patent/CA2273502A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1997-04-07 CA CA002232281A patent/CA2232281C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2232281A1 (en) | 1997-10-23 |
| CA2232282A1 (en) | 1997-10-23 |
| CA2273502A1 (en) | 1997-10-23 |
| CA2232282C (en) | 2004-03-16 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| JP3974259B2 (en) | Connector for connecting a card with an integrated circuit and device with this type of connector | |
| US5257948A (en) | Printed circuit board mounting device for electrical connectors | |
| US5226826A (en) | Ic card connector | |
| US5779494A (en) | Connector with reinforced latch | |
| CN1665073B (en) | Card edge connector with ejecting mechanism | |
| US7938656B2 (en) | Card connector with switch element | |
| EP0791983A2 (en) | Connector for flexible circuit boards | |
| JP2001507156A (en) | Landing type smart card reader | |
| US5837984A (en) | SMT reader for SIM-card and standard cards | |
| EP1528638A2 (en) | Card connector | |
| JP2004207168A (en) | Memory card connector device | |
| US6478630B1 (en) | Electrical card connector having polarization mechanism | |
| EP0030222A2 (en) | Electrical connectors able to eliminate insertion and extraction force on the contacts | |
| CN101764300A (en) | Connector | |
| US6361339B1 (en) | Electronic card connector having an integral ejector mechanism | |
| EP0147092B1 (en) | High density low profile multiple contact connector | |
| US7144276B1 (en) | Memory card connector | |
| CA2232281C (en) | Connector for the connection of a card with integrated circuit(s), and unit equipped with a connector of this type | |
| US20210367379A1 (en) | Strap connector | |
| IE911749A1 (en) | High density electrical connector for printed circuit boards | |
| US6059596A (en) | Zero insertion force socket | |
| US6247967B1 (en) | Shielded electrical connector for IC card | |
| KR960027078A (en) | Smart card connector | |
| US5308257A (en) | ZIF card edge connector utilizing flexible film circuitry | |
| US6341971B1 (en) | Duplex profile connector assembly |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |