JP2001135385A - Structure of card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mount two kinds of cards having different thickness with fully keeping reliability in contact between a contact pad and a contact terminal. SOLUTION: In a card connector, a connector housing 30 comprises a pair of guide grooves 50a, 50b which support both edges of an upper-side body 21 of a first thick card and both edges of a card body 10 of a second thin card so as to guide movements of both cards to be attached or detached, and a side wall 60 for making a space below a clearance between the pair of guide grooves 50a, 50b for storing a lower-side body 23 of the first card therein.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card connector structure which can be attached to an electronic device such as a portable telephone, a telephone, a PDA (personal digital assistance), a portable audio device, a camera, and the like. The present invention relates to a card connector structure that can be suitably loaded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electronic devices such as mobile phones, telephones, PDAs, cameras, etc., CPUs or ICs for memories are used.
SIM (subscriber identity module) with built-in
Card, MMC (multi media card) card, SD (su
Per-density) IC cards such as cards are attached to expand various functions.

[0003] Among such cards, for example, an MMC card has an appearance as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows the MMC card 10 viewed from the back of the card. The card body 11 has a predetermined thickness t, and a chamfered portion 12 at the right end thereof for preventing erroneous insertion.
have. A plurality of contact pads 13 connected to an IC circuit inside the card are provided on the front end of the bottom surface of the card body 11.
Is arranged.

FIG. 9 shows the SD card 20 as viewed from the back of the card.
Of the card body 11 having the same thickness t. A chamfered portion 22 for preventing incorrect insertion is provided at the right end of the upper body 21. On the back side of the upper main body 21, a lower main body 23 slightly narrower than the upper main body 21 is formed. A plurality of recesses 24 are formed on the distal end side of the lower body 23, and these recesses 24 are formed.
Is provided with a contact pad 25. A write protect button 26 is provided on a side surface of the card 20.
The depth of each recess 24 is substantially the same as the height of the lower bottom surface portion 23, so that the surface of each contact pad 25 is separated from the front surface of the upper body portion 21 by the thickness t of the upper body portion 21. Is located. That is, in the card 20,
The bottom surface of the upper main body 21 and the lower main body 23
Is formed along the card side edge. In a connector structure for detachably mounting such an IC card, a plurality of contact terminals connected to various signal processing circuits and a power supply circuit of an electronic device to which the connector is mounted are provided in a connector housing, The plurality of contact terminals are brought into contact with the contact pads 13 and 25 of the loaded IC card, and the IC card is electrically connected to the electronic device to which the connector is attached via these contacts.

[0006]

Here, when considering a common connector capable of loading both of two types of IC cards having different thicknesses from the card surface to the card bottom as described above, in the connector structure, In general, a structure is adopted in which each card is supported by a connector housing on its bottom surface.

However, in such a connector housing structure for supporting the bottom surface of each card, since the thicknesses of both cards are different, when the cards are mounted on the connector, the distance from the contact pad of each card to the contact terminal of the connector is reduced. different.

Therefore, if the elasticity of the contact terminals is set in accordance with the thick card, the required elasticity cannot be applied to the contact terminals when the card is thin.

Conversely, if the elasticity of the contact terminals is set in accordance with a thin card, the contact terminals are excessively displaced and exceed the stress limit in the case of a thick card, and the contact piece is plastically deformed. There is a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has a card connector structure capable of loading two types of cards having different thicknesses while ensuring sufficient contact reliability between the contact pads and the contact terminals. And providing a solution.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an upper body having a chamfer at a corner of the tip, a lower body having a width slightly smaller than the upper body and a recess formed at the tip, and A first card having a contact pad provided in the concave portion, and a step formed by a bottom surface of the upper main body portion and a bottom surface of the lower main body portion formed on both side ends along a card side end; A card body having substantially the same planar shape and thickness as the upper body of the first card, and a contact disposed on a bottom surface of the card body and at a substantially same planar position as a contact pad of the first card; A card connector structure for holding two types of cards, including a second card having a pad, in a connector housing such that the contact pad contacts a contact terminal arranged in the connector housing. It is formed on both side walls of the connector housing, the upper body of the first card portion and the second
A pair of guide grooves for supporting each side end of the card body of the card and guiding their insertion and removal, and a lower body of the first card below a space sandwiched between the pair of guide grooves. The connector housing has a side wall for defining a space in which the portion is accommodated.

The second card having a small thickness is supported by a pair of guide grooves formed in the connector housing at the side ends of the card body.

On the other hand, the first card having a large thickness has a side end of an upper main body having substantially the same thickness as the card main body of the second card. It is supported by the guide groove. The lower body projecting downward from the upper body of the first card via a step is accommodated in a space below the space sandwiched by the guide grooves.

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance between the contact pads of the first card and the contact terminals of the connector can be determined regardless of whether the first or second card is inserted. Each card is supported in the connector so that the distance from the contact pad to the contact terminal is the same, so that the contact terminal is given the same amount of elastic displacement by either card, and both cards are stable Contact reliability can be ensured.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA 'of FIG. 2 is a front view as seen from the direction of arrow B in FIG.

The card connector 1 is a portable telephone, a P
It is provided in an electronic device such as a DA, a portable audio device and a camera.

The connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 has both a thin card 10 such as the MMC card shown in FIG. 8 and a two-step thick card 20 having a step such as the SD card shown in FIG. Can be loaded.

In FIG. 1 to FIG.
Has a connector housing 30 integrally formed with an insulator such as a resin material.

On the lower surface 31 of the housing 30, a plurality of grooves 32 for positioning and press-fitting a plurality of contact terminals 40 formed by contact spring pieces are formed. These contact terminals 40 include a power supply terminal, a signal terminal, and the like. Each contact 40 comes into contact with a plurality of contact pads 13 and 25 formed on the cards 10 and 20 at a contact portion 40a protruding at a tip end side thereof, and a contact of a printed wiring board of an electronic device at each end 40b side. It is soldered to the pad.

Each of the IC cards 10 and 20 includes a housing 3
0 is inserted into the connector 1 through a card insertion slot 33 formed on the front surface of the connector 1.

An abutment wall 35 for abutting the inserted IC cards 10 and 20 is formed in the housing 30.
A corner wall 36 is formed at one corner of the abutting wall 35 so as to abut the chamfered portions 12 and 22 of the IC cards 10 and 20.

Here, the two IC cards 10 and 20 are:
Both ends are supported by a pair of guide grooves 50a and 50b formed on both inner side walls of the housing 30, and guided in the insertion / removal direction.

One guide groove 50a extends from the card insertion slot 33 to the corner wall 36, and the other guide groove 50b extends from the card insertion slot 33 to the butting wall 35.

However, notches 37 are formed on the upper surface at the entrances of the guide grooves 50a and 50b so that the cards 10 and 20 can be easily inserted, and tapered surfaces 38 and 39 are formed on the side and lower surfaces. Have been.

Each of the guide grooves 50a and 50b has an upper surface wall 51,
It is formed by a side wall 52 and a lower wall 53.

Further, a side wall 60 is formed so as to extend downward from an edge of the lower surface wall 53 of each of the guide grooves 50a and 50b.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the thin card 10 has been inserted into the connector 1.

When the thin card 10 is inserted into the connector 1, both side surfaces of the card main body 11 are provided with guide grooves 50a, 50b.
Of the main body 11 are supported by a lower wall 53.
Both ends of the upper surface of the card body 11 are regulated by the upper surface wall 51 so that the card 10 does not float due to the elastic force of the contact terminals 40.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which the thick double-tiered card 20 is inserted into the connector 1. FIG.

When the thick two-stage card 20 is inserted into the connector 1, both side surfaces of the upper main body 21 of the card 20 are guided by the respective side walls 52 of the guide grooves 50a and 50b. Both end portions, that is, the step portion 27 are supported by the lower surface wall 53, and both end portions of the upper surface of the upper main body portion 21 are regulated by the upper surface wall 51 so that the card 20 does not float due to the elastic force of the terminals of the contacts 40.

Further, the lower main body 23 of the thick type two-stage card 20 is accommodated in a space 61 sandwiched between side walls 60. That is, both side surfaces of the lower main body 23 of the card 20 are guided by the side walls 60.

In the thin card 10, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact pad 12 is located on the bottom of the card body 11.

On the other hand, in the thick two-tiered card 20, as shown in FIG. 9, the contact pad 25 is located on the bottom surface of the upper main body 21, in other words, in the recess 24 formed in the lower main body 23. positioned.

According to the above connector structure, in the height direction, the bottom surface of the thin card 10 is
a, 50b, and the bottom surface of the upper body 21 of the thick two-tiered card 20 has guide grooves 50a, 5b.
0b is supported by the lower surface wall 53.

Therefore, according to this connector structure,
When any of the cards 10 and 20 are inserted, the contact pads 12 and 25 connect the contact terminals 40 of the connector 1.
Since the distance to "a" is the same, the contact terminal is given the same amount of elastic displacement by either of the cards 10 and 20, so that stable contact reliability can be obtained for both the cards 10 and 20. Become.

In the above connector structure, the positioning of the thick two-level card 20 with respect to the connector 1 in the left-right direction is performed on either the side wall 52 forming the guide grooves 50a, 50b or the lower side wall 60. You may. When the dimensional difference in the planar shape of the upper body 21 of the thin card 10 and the thick two-tiered card 20 is small, the upper side wall 52 may position the card 20 in the left-right direction. Is large, the card 20 may be positioned in the left-right direction on the lower side wall 60.

In the above embodiment, the upper wall of the connector housing 30 covers only the vicinity of the guide grooves 50a, 50b and the abutment wall 35b. However, the upper wall of the connector housing 30 covers the whole or most of the card. Alternatively, only part of the card, for example, the contact pad, may be covered. The same applies to the lower wall of the connector housing.

Further, the connector housing may be constituted by a plurality of housing members, for example, an upper housing made of sheet metal and a lower housing made of resin.

Further, when the connector is arranged upside down on the printed wiring board, the printed wiring board may also be used as the upper plate wall of the connector.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an SD card is taken as an example of the thick double-tiered card 20 and an MMC card is taken as an example of the thin card. However, the present invention can be applied to any other type of card. You may.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Regardless of which of the two types of cards with different thicknesses is inserted, each card is supported in the connector so that the distance from the contact pads of both cards to the contact terminals of the connector is the same. The same amount of elastic displacement is given to either card, and stable contact reliability can be ensured for both cards.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline configuration of an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention, as viewed from the card insertion slot side.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a thin card is inserted in the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a thick two-stage card is inserted in the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention, in which a thick two-stage card is inserted.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a thin card applied to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a thick two-stage card applied to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Card connector 10 Thin card (MMC card) 11 Card main body 12 Chamfer part 13 Contact pad 20 Thick two-stage card (SD card) 21 Upper main body part 22 Chamfer part 23 Lower main body part 24 Depression 25 Contact pad 26 Write protect Button 30 Connector housing 32 Groove 35 Butt wall 36 Corner wall 40 Contact terminal 50a Guide groove 50b Guide groove 51 Upper wall 52 Side wall 53 Lower wall 60 Side wall

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Takashi Torii Inventor 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 5B058 CA04 CA13 KA12 KA40 YA20 5E021 FA05 FA11 FA16 FB02 FB18 FC40 HA07 KA05 5E023 AA04 AA16 AA18 AA21 BB19 BB22 CC02 CC23 CC26 EE10 GG02 GG08 HH01 HH18 HH20

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An upper body having a chamfer at a corner of a tip, a lower body having a width slightly smaller than the upper body and a recess formed at the tip, and a contact pad provided in the recess. A first card having a step formed by a bottom surface of the upper body portion and a bottom surface of the lower body portion along the card side end at both end portions; and an upper body portion of the first card. A card body having substantially the same planar shape and thickness, a second card having a contact pad disposed on the bottom surface of the card body and substantially at the same planar position as the contact pads of the first card; In the card connector structure, the two types of cards are held in the connector housing so that the contact pads come into contact with the contact terminals arranged in the connector housing. A pair of guide grooves formed and supporting each side end of the upper body portion of the first card and the card body portion of the second card to guide their insertion and removal; and a pair of these guide grooves And a side wall for defining a space for accommodating the lower main body of the first card below a space sandwiched by the first and second cards. 2. The card connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the side wall is formed at a portion for guiding a side surface of the lower main body of the first card.