Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
  • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
  • H01R13/6205—Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet

Definitions

• the present invention relates to electronic devices configured to receive and / or connect an electronic chip component of integrated circuits.
• the invention relates to devices such as cell phones, PDAs, portable audio devices, terminal devices capable of connecting removable or detachable components.
• the electronic components may be in particular form of integrated circuit card, smart card or other form, CMS ....
• the devices may more specifically be memory cards including type SD, MMC, Memory stick ....
• the case may themselves be portable and detachable components suitable for receiving other components.
• the invention also relates to form adapters for enabling the connection of an electronic chip component to a connector of a host device.
• the present invention specifically targets a set consisting of a reduced-size card, including SIM card and an associated host card, including a memory card.
• the memory cards referred to have all different formats and a generally rectangular shape, with longitudinal conductive pads arranged on or in one of the main parallel faces and in the vicinity of a transverse edge of the map.
• SIM card connector is on a main surface and the SIM card is kept in contact on the PCMCIA card by interaction with a computer slot wall.
• SIM cards having 5 ⁇ 5 mm 2 and 0.6 mm thickness are contemplated.
• the invention aims to facilitate the insertion or removal and the holding in position of the electronic chip component (microcard) with respect to its host device without any risk of loss of the chip component during handling.
• connection means for connecting or connecting a component comprising an integrated circuit chip and / or ferromagnetic contact pads (16), magnetic holding means in the position of component connection, the holding means being configured to exert a holding force (F) on said component;
• the device is distinguished in that the holding means are arranged to exert said holding force on said pads or directly on said integrated circuit.
• the device comprises at least two magnets arranged on either side of a location (E) of the component;
• the component is a card with ferromagnetic pads or contact pads (16) or is an integrated circuit chip.
• the magnet is disposed behind a printed circuit board (26) and / or behind a connector carried by the printed circuit;
• the invention also relates to an electronic system comprising an electronic device and an electronic chip component held in position by magnetic force in a dedicated location E, against the device.
• the invention has the advantage of avoiding a risk of loss of the chip component supported by a host device when it is removed from the device.
• the invention also has the advantage of avoiding locking means and having a simplest possible construction. In fact, there may be little structural impact on the construction of the host device and none on that of the microcard.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a host device according to the teachings of the invention and a sub-component being placed in the host device;
• Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view which schematically shows a host microcard of Fig. 1 being inserted into a slot of a host device;
• Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a bottom view of the embodiment of Figure 1 and a longitudinal section of this view from above, the micro SD card being removed;
• FIGS 4A and 4B illustrate schematically two configurations of the magnetic return means of the component according to the invention.
• Figure 5 illustrates the insertion of the device into a host device and its cooperation with the device for good electrical connection
• FIG. 6 illustrates means facilitating the extraction of the component from its cavity as well as its section along BB;
• FIG. 7 illustrates an assembly of a host card with a microcard for connection of the microcard in a device or host device;
• Figures 8 and 9 respectively illustrate a first and second cavity or receiving location of the component;
• the card is here a subscriber identification card (SIM) of a reduced size. It measures approximately 5 mm x 5 mm with a thickness of approximately 600 ⁇ ;
• the component or card may have a weight of less than about 0.1 to 0.5 grams.
• the card is obtained by overmolding a plastic or resin material on a module comprising an integrated circuit chip connected to contact pads coming to the surface of the card.
• the component may consist of a chip or several chips stacked or juxtaposed with or without coating or packaging. These chips may include an interface including an antenna engraved on the silicon or deposited on surfaces of the chip.
• the chip may have, for example, a dimension of 3 ⁇ 3 mm of main surface and 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm of thickness.
• an integrated circuit chip (which, by definition, comprises a semiconductor material), in particular a smart card, is attracted by a flat-type magnet (1 mm thick and 5 ⁇ 5 mm in area) and sufficient to be held in place and / or to connect an interface in a host device.
• the chip comprises in itself a material or alloy adapted to cooperate with a magnet so as to undergo a force of attraction or repulsion.
• the chip may comprise contact pads (projecting or not) of its active surface, an RF antenna, any other means of communication (capacitive, optical ”).
• the electronic device 1A comprises connection means (C) for connecting any host.
• the connection can make it possible to connect a component 3 (directly or via an electrical or electronic circuit) with the host of the device.
• These means may be of any type to provide a communication link and / or electrical connection via these connection means and / or communication.
• the connection may be of the type with electrical contacts 2B as in FIG. 4 or of the non-contact type, in particular via an antenna interface, capacitive, optical, inductive by winding, etc.
• the device it is illustrated here by a memory card type SD 2.1 mm thick; In application of above, the card may include one or more cavities or location for connection and / or storage of one or more components.
• each component is associated with an application, a game, a right of use and / or physical and / or logical access.
• a user positions a component in a communication or connection location according to his need.
• the device may include a host device such as a reader, a form adapter for connecting a component of a generation in a connector provided for a component of another generation.
• the device here also includes a surface connector C for connecting a compatible reader.
• This card also optionally includes (Fig. 3) a connector 12 and a slot 13 for receiving and connecting an SD microcard (1B).
• the device also comprises means 4 for holding the component in position against it.
• the device comprises at least one location (E) of the component.
• the location coincides with a cavity 8 for receiving the component.
• the location may also be on the surface of the device without a cavity.
• the holding means 4 in position are configured to exert a magnetic holding force F on said component 3.
• the device 1A comprises a material 4 capable of magnetically interacting with a material of the component.
• the device comprises at least one permanent magnet 4 and the component comprises either another magnet or a ferromagnetic material 16 (steel, iron, etc.).
• the interaction can be an attraction (magnet / steel) or a repulsion (magnet / magnet with identical pole opposite).
• the magnet may be arranged in the device as illustrated in FIG. 3. It comprises a main face 7 preferably substantially equivalent to that of the component and a thickness of 1 mm; It is arranged facing a location (E) of a main surface 9 of the component when it is in the connection position to exert a frontal attraction force F on the component.
• the metal of the contact pads 16 is used as a material interacting with the magnet.
• the ranges contain a layer of ferromagnetic material such as steel, coated with an anticorrosion material (stainless treatment, copper / nickel or chromium, gold, platinum tin, silver, palladium, platinum
• the tests carried out for the insertion of the component 3 have been very conclusive, because the magnetic attraction force constitutes an aid for the positioning, centering and insertion of the card into the cavity.
• There is a positioning, automatic sliding of the card in the cavity which is convenient for the user.
• the electrical contact is immediate with a pressure force directly related to the power of the magnet and concentration of ferromagnetic particles in the board.
• the connector of the device preferably comprises spring blades 2 or a coil spring for each contact.
• the invention provides any other means of elastic connection or not.
• the connector may comprise tracks arranged on an elastic support; the contacts may themselves be of conductive elastic material (conductive elastomer for example).
• the materials interacting with each other can be distributed at different places in the device and in the component.
• the magnet for example, may be in the card and / or in the device. If disposed in the device, the magnet may be preferably constituted by a plate or sheet placed behind a printed circuit (PCB here a thickness of 200 ⁇ ) and / or a connector 2B of the device for connecting the component.
• the interaction material with the magnet of the device can be placed on any face of the component; It may be placed in particular on the rear face of the component opposite to the face comprising a communication interface.
• the interaction material may be another magnet or a ferromagnetic material.
• the device may carry a ferromagnetic material intended to cooperate with a magnet in the component.
• the material of the device itself eg silicon / iron alloy
• the material can be added by stacking or redirecting methods.
• the general structures of the device and the component remain unchanged.
• the component its external shape remains unchanged since a ferromagnetic version of the contact pads is used.
• the areas are not ferromagnetic, for example made by printing conductive material (ink, screen printing, aluminum, copper or a material not sensitive to magnetism (copper 7), it is possible to add a metal Ferromagnetic isat ion including at least one sheet having the desired properties, for example on the rear face of the card or on at least one of its sides or slices.
• the component may conform to the smart card 3 of Figure 1;
• the contact pads may include the interaction material with the central magnet 3. This configuration has the advantage of being closer to the component while minimizing the overall thickness of the device.
• the magnets may be arranged on the printed circuit of the device around a possible connector and have an even smaller thickness.
• Fig. 4A illustrates a preferred arrangement of the magnet and interaction material facing each other via their respective major faces.
• Figure 4B there is illustrated another possible arrangement for the host device. It comprises at least two magnets 15a, 15b disposed on either side of a central location (E) of the component. The magnets exert a lateral force (L) parallel to one of the main faces of the component.
• a host card 1A may comprise a connector comprising spring blades 2; They are arranged so that the component exceeds the receiving cavity 8 while being supported on the uncompressed blades. Then, when inserting the host card in a host device, the component is pushed into the cavity in the direction of the arrow to improve or guarantee the electrical contact and then slid with the card in a slot 13B. The component is held down in the cavity against a restoring force of the spring blades because it abuts by its rear face against an inner wall of the slot.
• the slot can belong to any device, reader, device 20.
• the device 1A is therefore intended to cooperate with a wall of a slot 19 of a host apparatus 20 to counteract elastic forces of a connector of the device on the component.
• the receiving cavity 8 of the component 3 comprises a recess 9 on one of the flanges 10 of the cavity to facilitate the extraction of the component. It is however possible to eject the component simply by a sharp blow of the card on the hollow of the hand so as to collect the component in the hand.
• Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of an assembly between a host device 1A and a component 3;
• the device preferably comprises an outwardly opening cavity 8 for receiving said component 3 so that its contact pads are facing outwards;
• the device 1A is intended to serve as a wedge for the component in a receiving slot 22.
• the contact pads of the component connect pads of a connector of a device or other host device receiving device 1A.
• the connector opens into the slot towards the contact pads 16.
• the component 3 is inserted into two types of cavities respectively front and side.
• the device may comprise a magnet 4 placed above the component and exerting a repulsive force towards a connector placed in the cavity below the component.
• the device 1A comprises a mark keying element 23 disposed on one of the surfaces 24 of the device in the vicinity of the cavity and intended to correspond to a mark 25 disposed on the component.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a micro-card 1B of micro SD type; It has a location (E) in a receiving cavity of the card 3.
• the microcard is intended to be inserted into a slot of a host device 20.
• the connector is here composed of pads 2B of elastic conductive material, two magnets (not shown) can be arranged as in Figure 4B on either side of the cavity to reduce clutter.

Landscapes

• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=43629105

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications Before (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2011
  • 2011-01-06 EP EP11305012A patent/EP2475046A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-12-29 ES ES11804711.7T patent/ES2638303T3/es active Active
  • 2011-12-29 EP EP11804711.7A patent/EP2661790B1/de active Active
  • 2011-12-29 WO PCT/EP2011/074261 patent/WO2012093066A1/fr active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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