Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
  • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
  • G06K7/0013—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers
  • G06K7/0021—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by galvanic contacts, e.g. card connectors for ISO-7816 compliant smart cards or memory cards, e.g. SD card readers for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
  • H01R12/82—Coupling devices connected with low or zero insertion force
  • H01R12/83—Coupling devices connected with low or zero insertion force connected with pivoting of printed circuits or like after insertion
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R2201/00—Connectors or connections adapted for particular applications
  • H01R2201/16—Connectors or connections adapted for particular applications for telephony

Definitions

• This invention is directed to an electrical connector and more particularly to an electrical connector for receiving an module.
• Electronic modules such as subscriber identification modules (SIMs) are well known in the communications industry. They are small electronic smart cards, approximately 25 x 15 mm, which contain information to specifically identify a subscriber, for example a telephone subscriber. The modules are read by electronic devices such as telephones and allow a particular user to access the device.
• SIMs subscriber identification modules
• Reichardt et al teaches a cover 34 for receiving the SIM 1 which is hingeably mounted to a housing 33 which supports the electrical contacts 8.
• the hingeably mounted cover 34 may be rotated into an initial closed position and then linearly moved relative to the SIM 1 to a locked position where it is held by a recess 40.
• the support arm does not serve to reliably secure a SIM 1 into the housing.
• the SIM 1 can unintentionally be removed from the housing 3 by inadvertent depression of the support arm 4.
• there is a translating motion between the contact pads on the SIM- and the electrical contacts of the housing causing a wiping action over the pads of the SIM. Since SIMs are intended to have a high mating and unmating cycle life, excessive wiping action tends to prematurely wear the contact pads.
• CCM Smart Card Connector Part No. CCM03 by ITT Canon.
• This connector features a rotatable cover which receives the SIM.
• the cover has a slide bar associated therewith having tabs extending from its edges for locking the cover to the base by sliding the bar along the top of the cover. Since the locking motion is in the same direction as the card-mating motion, a similar problem of inadvertent sliding of the locking bar and release of the cover could occur.
• an electrical connector for receiving an electronic module such as a SIM having an insulative base which is mountable to a printed circuit board and supports electrical contacts which are also connected to the printed circuit board.
• a cover for receiving the electronic module is rotatably mounted to the base and securable thereto by the cooperation of a locking disc mechanism with locking projections extending from sidewalls of the base.
• Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the electronic module connector according to this invention.
• Figure 2 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the major components of the electronic module connector according to this invention.
• Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the elec t ronic module connector having a SIM inserte d and the cover in the open position.
• Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the electronic module connector having an electronic module inserted therein and the cover rotate d into the closed position prior to locking.
• Figure 5 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the cover and the underside of the locking disc.
• the invention will f irst be describe d generally with reference t o Figure l which shows the electronic module connector 10 according to this invention.
• the connector 1 0 consists of a base 20 having a pair of cover receiving channels 22 disposed at a pivot end 2 7 .
• Contacts 26 extend from the base 20 for surface mounting to a printed board circuit (not shown ) .
• a polarizing projection 24 is disposed at the card- receiving a end 2 *9 o u f i tmhe hcaasse 2 on0.
• L ⁇ -o>c,-k ⁇ i•ng pro ections 21 extend from the sides of the base 20 towards a cover 3 0 which is hingeably mounted to the base 20 at the pivot end 2 7 .
• the cover 30 features mounting arms 36 having cylindrical projections 38 extending from the mounting arms 36 for hingeable engagement with the cover receiving channels 22 of the base 20.
• a slot 35 ( Fig. 2) is formed in the cover 30 for slidably receiving an electronic module 60 from the mating end 2 9 .
• Disc securing projections 32 extend from a top surface 39 of the cover 30 to form a disc-receiving area 33 and stop projections 34 are provided along the disc-receiving area 33 for limiting rotation of a locking disc 4 0.
• the locking disc 4 0 is captured by the disc projections 32 of the cover in the disc receiving area 33.
• the locking disc 4 0 is rotatable between an open position and a locked position in order to release or lock the cover 30 from the base 20.
• the base 20 is profiled to be mounted to a printed circuit board and has surface mount contacts 26 mounted therein by well known techniques.
• a polarizing tab 24 is provided at a card mating end 29 for cooperation with a cutaway portion 62 of the SIM 60.
• Locking projections 21 extend from the sides of the base 20.
• Each of the locking projections 21 consists of a side wall 21a, a top wall 21b extending from the side wall 21a and a stop wall 21c extending from both the top wall 21b and the side wall 21a to form a channel 2Id therebetween.
• Cover receiving channels 22 are provided at the pivot end 27, each being profiled to have a semi-cylindrical section 22a and pair of cantilever arms 22b extending along the open end of the semi-cylindrical section 22a.
• the cover 30 is provided with mounting arms 36 extending from a cover body 39 towards the pivot end 27.
• Cylindrical projections 38 shown in phantom in Fig. 2, extend inward toward each other from each of the mounting arms 36.
• Disc securing projections 32 extend from a deflectable portion 39c of the cover body 39 along the top surface 39b to form a semi-circular slot 37 about a disc-receiving area 33.
• the disc securing projections 32 are profiled to have camming surfaces 32a which cooperate with a locking disc 40 to urge the disc securing projections 32 and the deflectable portions 39c outward during assembly which will be described in greater detail below.
• Stop projections 34 extend from the top surface 39 and are disposed at selected positions adjacent to the disc securing projections 32 on the deflectable portion 39c.
• a pair of open position detents 31a (Fig. 5) are disposed on the top surface 39b inside the disc receiving area 30 adjacent to the disc securing projections 32.
• a pair of closed position detents 31b are provided on the top surface 39b inside the disc receiving area circumferentially spaced from the pair of open position detents 31a.
• a card- receiving slot 35 is formed on the underside 39a of the cover body 39 for slidably receiving a SIM 60 therein.
• a locking disc 40 is mountable to the cover 30 and features tabs 42 extending from edges thereof.
• the locking disc 40 is formed from a thin sheet of material and is generally circular along its major surfaces.
• a slot 44 is formed in the center of the disc 40 to assist in rotation using a tool such as a screwdriver.
• a locking arrow 46 is provided along the major visual surface of the disc 40 to indicate the direction of rotation necessary in order to lock the cover 30, to the base 20.
• an open arrow 48 is provided to indicate the direction of rotation necessary in order to release the cover 30 from the base 20.
• the underside of the locking disc 40 is profiled to have a pair of embossments 43 for cooperation with the open position detents 31a and the closed position detents 31b on the cover top surface 39b.
• the locking disc 40 is simply snapped into the disc securing projections 32 of the cover. Since the disc securing projections 32 extend from a deflectable portion 39c of the cover body 39 and feature camming surfaces 32a, they will tend to resile outward in order to receive the locking disc 40 and will return to a relaxed secured position after the locking disc 40 pases over the camming surfaces 32a.
• the disc is initially received in the disc receiving area 33 and rotatably secured into the slot 37 such that the tabs 42 are facing opposite sides of the cover 30 and lie between stop projections 34.
• the cover 30 is then mounted to the base 20 by simply pressing the cylindrical projections 38 into the cover receiving channels 22
• the disc 40 is now rotatably mounted to the cover 30, and the cover 30 is hingeably mounted to the base 20. This completes the final assembly of the connector 10.
• an electronic module 60 is inserted into the slot 35 (Fig. 2) of the cover 30 such that the cutaway portion 62 will be aligned to cooperate with the polarizing projection 24 of the base 20.
• the locking disc 40 is rotated counter clockwise as indicated by the open arrow 48 to an open position whereby tabs 42 engage the stop projections 34 of the cover 30 and the embossments 43 engage the open position detents 31a (Fig. 5) .
• the cover 30 is then rotated downward toward the base 20 to the position shown in Figure 4.
• the cover 30 being in the closed position over the base 20 may then be locked by simply rotating the locking disc 40 clockwise as indicated by the locking arrow 46 such that tabs 42 are urged into the channel 21d until they abut against the stop wall 21c of the locking projection 21 (Fig.l) and the embossments 43 engage the closed position detents 31b (Fig. 5) .
• Slot 44 is provided for insertion of a screw driver or similar tool to assist in rotating the locking disc 40.
• the locking disc 40 may be provided with a rough surface so that a simple depression and rotating action using a fingertip will suffice to lock the disc into its final position as shown in Figure 1.
• the advantage of this invention is that it provides a reliable electrical connection to an electronic module 60 without prematurely wearing the pads of the electronic module 60.
• An additional advantage is that a simple mechanism is provided for easy insertion of the electronic module into the connector and easy securing of the electronic module therein.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
• Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=21843966

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Family Cites Families (4)

• 1997
  • 1997-10-15 JP JP10518553A patent/JP2001502838A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-10-15 WO PCT/US1997/018583 patent/WO1998016976A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-10-15 AU AU49034/97A patent/AU4903497A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-10-15 EP EP97911728A patent/EP1016172A1/de not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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