JP2000277200A - Socket device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a memory card to be easily installed in two of upper and lower slots by groping without viewing it. SOLUTION: A partition member 17 is disposed between two slots 14, 15 so that when a memory card 18 is installed in one of the slots 14, 15 while in an attitude inclined in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of insertion, the end of the memory card 18 abuts the partition member 17 to prevent installation errors. When a hard disc unit having a greater thickness than the memory card 18 is to be installed in the lower slot 15, upward parallel movement of the partition member 17 enables installation of the hard disc unit since the partition member 17 is turnably supported at its front and rear end sides via a support rod.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a socket device to which two types of input / output packages having different thicknesses can be selectively mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the functions of small computer devices such as personal computers and word processors have been expanding steadily, and the required information storage capacity has been gradually increasing.

[0003] Therefore, in these small-sized computer devices, a socket device which allows an input / output package such as a memory card or a hard disk to be detachably attached from the outside so that the information storage capacity can be easily added and exclusive use is possible. Are pre-installed.

However, providing a plurality of types of socket devices corresponding to a plurality of types of input / output packages, such as a memory card and a hard disk, in one small computer device is an obstacle to realizing the miniaturization and weight reduction of the computer device. Becomes

[0005] Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2659030
Discloses a socket device capable of selectively mounting two memory cards and one hard disk package.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a socket device 1 has a slot 1 in which two memory cards can be inserted.
a and 1b are formed in two upper and lower stages.
a and 1b are communicated with each other via a communication portion 1c,
It has a structure in which one hard disk package having a thickness greater than that of a memory card can be placed in the lower part instead of the memory card.

[0007]

However, in a small computer device such as a portable personal computer, the socket device is often provided at a position where it is difficult to visually recognize the socket device, such as a side surface of the device body, due to space efficiency. Therefore, the operator often inserts an input / output package such as a memory card into the slot formed in the socket device while checking the position by groping.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 7, one side of the memory card 2 enters the slot 1a and the other side enters the slot 1b with respect to the slots 1a and 1b formed in the upper and lower stages of the socket device 1. This makes it easy to mount incorrectly while maintaining a slanted posture, causing inconvenience in handling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a socket device which can easily and accurately mount an input / output package in a slot by groping.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second input / output package in which a first input / output package can be mounted in two stages and is thicker than the first input / output package. A two-stage slot that can be mounted on either one of the slots, a guide rail that guides each of the input / output packages formed on both sides of each of the slots,
2 connectable to the first input / output package and the second input / output package disposed on the back of each slot.
And a partition member is disposed in a communicating portion between the two slots. When the second input / output package is stored in one of the two slots, the partition member is connected to the second connector.
In which it can be retracted to a position where interference with the input / output package is avoided.

In this case, preferably, the partition member is formed of a plate material that can be retracted to a position where interference with the second input / output package is avoided. Alternatively, the partition member is formed of a bar that can be retracted to a position that avoids interference with the second input / output package.

According to the present invention, when the first input / output package is mounted on at least one of the slots formed in the upper and lower stages of the socket device, the partition provided in the communicating portion between the two slots. Since the two slots are defined by the member, if the first input / output package is mounted in a posture inclined in a direction intersecting the insertion direction,
The leading end surface of the first input / output package comes into contact with the partition member, and cannot be further mounted, thereby preventing erroneous mounting. When a second input / output package having a thickness greater than that of the first input / output package is mounted in one of the slots, the partition member is moved to a position to avoid interference with the second input / output package. The second input / output package can be mounted.

In this case, preferably, the partition member is made of a plate material, so that the partition member is a first input / output package,
Alternatively, it becomes a guide surface when the second input / output package is mounted, and the partition member is formed of a bar, so that the structure can be simplified.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, FIGS. 1 to 3 show exploded perspective views of the socket device, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show longitudinal sectional front views of the socket device.

The socket device 11 shown in the present embodiment is
The socket device 11 is incorporated in a small computer device such as a personal computer or a word processor.
a and 13b are arranged in two upper and lower stages. The contact row provided on each connector 13a, 13b is C
It is soldered to a main board on which a PU (Central Processing Unit) and the like are mounted.

The connector 1 is provided in the socket housing 12.
3a, 13b, two upper and lower slots 14, 1
5 are formed. The slots 14 and 15 are communicated with each other via a communication portion 12a, and guide rails 14a and 15a are formed on both sides of the slots 14 and 15, respectively.

Further, a partition member 17 is provided laterally in the communication portion 12a. As shown in FIG. 1, the partition member 17 includes a flat plate 17a formed in a mesh shape, and support bars 17b that rotatably support the front and rear end sides of the flat plate 17a. Are bent in a Z-shape, and their ends are rotatably supported by a step 16 integrally formed below the guide rail 14a.

The upper and lower slots 14 and 15 are formed in the same shape.
A memory card 18, which is an example of an input / output package, is mounted. Protrusions 18a are formed on both sides of the memory card 18 to be engaged with the guide rails 14a or 15a. The memory card 18 includes, for example, a well-known nonvolatile RAM.
8 is pulled out of the slots 14 and 15 and the stored contents are retained.

The memory card 18 has upper and lower slots 14, 1
5 can be activated when attached to any of
Also, the memory cards 18 can be inserted into both slots 14 and 15 at the same time. When two memory cards 18 are used, they can be activated in a state where they are associated with each other.

The memory card 1 is inserted into the lower slot 15.
A hard disk (HD) unit 19, which is an example of a second input / output package having a thickness greater than 8, can be mounted. On both sides of the HD unit 19, ridges 19a engaged with the guide rail 15a are formed.

The memory card 18 and the HD unit 19
Are provided with connector pins (not shown) connected to the connectors 13a and 13b.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described. First, the partition member 17 is passed from the front to the communication portion 12a between the step portions 16 formed below the upper slot 14 of the socket housing 12, and
Both ends of a support rod 17 b supporting the front and rear end sides of the partition member 17 are hooked on the step 16.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the flat plate 17a provided on the partition member 17 is supported by the support rod 17b and is allowed to move upward in parallel.

When the memory card 18 is inserted into one or both of the upper and lower slots 14 and 15, the partition member 17 is tilted to a flat state and hooked on the step 16 as shown in FIGS. Let it stop.

As a result, as shown in FIG.
7, the upper and lower slots 14 and 15 are partitioned, and a memory card 18 is provided in one or both of the slots 14 and 15.
When the memory card 18 is inserted, if the memory card 18 is inclined in a direction substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, the leading end surface of the memory card 18 contacts the partition member 17 near the entrances of the slots 14 and 15. As a result, erroneous mounting is prevented.

When the ridges 18a formed on both sides of the memory card 18 are inserted into the guide rails 14a and 15a formed on both sides of the slots 14 and 15, the lower surface or upper surface of the memory card 18 has Flat plate 1
7a are opposed to each other, and the flat plate 17a serves as a guide surface to guide the lower surface or the upper surface of the memory card 18,
It can be installed smoothly.

On the other hand, when the HD unit 19 having a greater thickness than the memory card 18 is mounted in the lower slot 15, as shown in FIG.
Is started by rotating.

Then, as shown in FIG.
Are retracted in a direction to avoid interference with the HD unit 19, and the flat plate 17 a faces the upper surface of the HD unit 19.

When the ridges 19a formed on both sides of the HD unit 19 are inserted into the guide rails 15a formed on both sides of the lower slot 15, when the HD unit 19 is mounted on the lower slot 15, Partition member 17
The flat plate 17a faces the upper surface of the HD unit 19 and serves as a guide surface, and guides the upper surface of the HD unit 19, so that the mounting becomes smooth.

As described above, in this embodiment, the upper and lower two-stage slots 1 formed in the socket housing 12 are formed.
4 and 15 are partitioned by a partition member 17 which can be raised upward.
Alternatively, when the memory card 18 is mounted on both sides, if the posture is inclined in a direction substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, the leading end surface of the memory card 18 comes into contact with the partition member 17 and is locked. Therefore, further mounting cannot be performed, and erroneous mounting is prevented.

Further, by raising the partition member 17 upward, it becomes possible to mount the HD unit 19 in the lower slot 15, which is convenient.

The flat plate 17a of the partition member 17 is not limited to a mesh fabric, but may be a thin plate made of a resin material or a metal material.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of a socket device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the above-described first embodiment, the partition member 17 is configured by the flat plate 17a and the support rod 17b that supports the front and rear portions, but in the present embodiment, the partition member 17 is configured by only the support rod 17b. The support rod 17b is connected to the step 16 on the entrance side of the socket housing 12.
It is installed horizontally.

As in the present embodiment, when the partition member 17 is constituted only by the support bar 17b, the structure can be simplified and the product cost can be reduced.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When attaching the first input / output package to at least one of the slots formed in two stages of the socket device,
Since the two slots are partitioned by the partition member, when the first input / output package is to be mounted in a posture inclined in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, the leading end surface of the first input / output package is connected to the partition member. Since no further mounting is possible upon contact, erroneous mounting is prevented, and the operator can mount correctly without checking the position of the slot.
When a second input / output package having a thickness greater than that of the first input / output package is mounted on one of the upper and lower slots, the partition member is evacuated to a position to avoid interference with the second input / output package. Therefore, the second input / output package can be smoothly mounted, and the handleability is good.

In this case, when the first input / output package or the second input / output package is mounted, the partition member can be used as a guide surface by using a plate material as the partition member. Become smooth. Alternatively, the structure can be simplified by configuring the cutting member only with a bar.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a socket device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a memory card is mounted on the socket device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the hard disk unit is mounted on the socket device.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view showing a state where a memory card is mounted on the socket device.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a state where the hard disk unit is mounted on the socket device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of a socket device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a conventional socket device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Socket device 13a, 13b Connector 14 Upper slot 15 Lower slot 17 Partition member 17a Flat plate 17b Support rod 18 First input / output package (memory card) 19 Second input / output package (HD unit)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A two-stage slot in which a first input / output package can be mounted in two stages and a second input / output package thicker than the first input / output package can be mounted in one of the two stages. And guide rails formed on both sides of each of the slots for guiding the input / output packages, and connectable to the first input / output package and the second input / output package disposed on the back of each slot. Two
A partition member is disposed in a communication portion between the two slots, and when the second input / output package is stored in one of the two slots, the partition member is connected to the second input portion. A socket device characterized in that it can be retracted to a position to avoid interference with an output package. 2. The socket device according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is formed of a plate material that can be retracted to a position that avoids interference with the second input / output package. 3. The socket device according to claim 1, wherein the partition member is formed of a bar that can be retracted to a position that avoids interference with the second input / output package.