JP2001283957A - Connector socket and information equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector socket and information equipment, in which even if a memory card is made thinner to make the side of memory card smaller it is not necessary to make the new size of a connector socket having a smaller number of terminals to suit the smaller size. SOLUTION: A guide spacer 3 is installed in the existing connector socket 1, and only a part of the terminal of the connector socket 1 is used. When the guide portion 3a, 3d of the guide spacer 3 is inserted and installed in the housing 1a of the connector socket 1 from a front face toward A direction, a push portion 3c of the guide spacer 3 first sinks toward the bottom direction of the ceiling of the connector socket 1, and then comes up again at the opening portion 1d of the connector socket 1. Then the edge of the push portion 3c touches the edge of the opening portion 1 and is caught by it and the guide spacer 3 is held and becomes incapable of being pulled out. Thereon, the memory card 2 is pushed down by the push portion 3c of the guide spacer 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector socket and an information device, and more particularly, to an information device such as a personal computer or a word processor and a connector socket used for the information device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, information devices such as personal computers and word processors have been reduced in size and thickness for the purpose of portability, and one of them is that an external storage device has a thin and small memory card. Information devices such as personal computers and word processors are provided with a connector socket for inserting and mounting a memory card.

[0003] The following describes a conventional connector socket.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where a memory card is inserted into a conventional connector socket provided in a personal computer. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a connector socket, which has a storage portion 11a for a memory card 12, and a plurality of terminals 11b are arranged on a printed circuit board 11c. An opening 11d is provided on the upper surface. Reference numeral 13 denotes a housing of the personal computer.
a is provided. A holding spring 14 is attached to the housing 13 of the personal computer.

[0005] The operation of mounting a memory card in the conventional connector socket configured as described above will be described.
The memory card 12 inserted through the insertion slot 13a of the housing 13 of the personal computer is connected to the connector socket 1
Within 1, a contact (not shown) contacts the terminal 11 b. At this time, the pressing spring 14 presses the memory card 12 through the opening 11 d of the connector socket 11. Thus, the memory card does not come up, or when the personal computer is carried with the memory card attached, the memory card does not fall out of the connector socket.

[0006]

However, besides the standard-size memory card, there have been some cards whose width has been reduced and the size has been reduced (smaller) by further reducing the number of terminals. Socket is required. That is, conventionally, when the size of the memory card is reduced in order to reduce the size of the memory card, a connector socket having a small number of terminals corresponding to the size is newly created each time. Each time a connector socket corresponding to the size of the memory card is to be raised, it requires a mold cost and a development period, requires capital investment for assembling the connector socket, and requires time and manpower to evaluate reliability. There is a problem that it takes. Also, when inserting a memory card into the connector socket, the memory card rises and is caught on the ceiling surface of the connector socket, preventing it from entering the connector socket to the end or carrying a personal computer with the memory card installed. Conventionally, to prevent the memory card from falling out of the connector socket, a leaf spring-like holding part is provided on the information device housing above the memory card, or a leaf spring-like holding part is also provided on the connector socket itself. Had been provided. However, providing such a leaf spring-shaped holding part has a problem that labor and material cost are required. Further, since the leaf spring is usually made of metal, if pressed by the leaf spring, the memory card may be slid due to sliding of the resin portion of the memory card. Therefore, it is necessary to surely treat the end face of the sheet metal.

The present invention solves the above problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector socket and an information device that do not require a new connector socket having a small number of terminals according to the size even if the memory card is reduced in size in order to reduce the size of the memory card.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve this problem, the present invention mounts a guide spacer, which also serves as a guide and presser in the insertion direction of a card-shaped medium, on a connector socket.
Only some terminals of the existing connector socket can be used.

Thus, even if the size of the memory card is reduced, it is possible to solve the problem that a connector socket corresponding to the size must be newly formed every time. In addition, by providing a holding part in a part of the guide spacer, the memory card does not rise and fall out of the connector socket even if there is no holding part or another part for holding in the information equipment housing or the connector socket itself. There is no.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to a storage section into which a flat card-shaped medium is inserted, and a plurality of contacts provided on the card-shaped medium in a width direction. A connector socket having a plurality of terminals to be connected to each other, wherein a guide spacer serving as a guide and a presser in a direction in which the card-shaped medium is inserted is attached to the storage section, As long as the specifications are the same, even if a card-like medium smaller in size than a standard-size card-like medium is inserted, it can be fitted into the connector socket and operated electrically without any problem.
By using only a part of the terminals of the existing connector socket and maintaining the compatibility of the terminal portions, it is not necessary to newly start the connector socket.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the connector socket according to the first aspect, the guide spacer has a guide portion for restricting the movement of the card-shaped medium in the width direction, and a presser for suppressing the movement in the thickness direction by elasticity. The card-shaped medium is regulated in the width direction of the card-shaped medium, and the card-shaped medium is not required even if there is no holding part or another part for holding in the information equipment housing or the connector socket itself. This has the effect that the medium does not float and does not fall out of the connector socket.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the connector socket of the second aspect, the guide spacer is a resin molded product, and the holding portion is formed integrally. It is a molded product that has two functions of regulating the width of the card-shaped medium in the width direction and holding down. In addition, since the holding portion is made of resin, the resin portion of the card-shaped medium slides like a metal leaf spring. There is an effect that the card-shaped medium is not sometimes shaved, and therefore, it is not necessary to perform the processing of the sheet metal end face without fail.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the connector socket according to the first aspect, an opening or a recess is provided on a top surface, a side surface, or a bottom surface of the storage portion, and a part of the guide spacer is provided in the opening or the recess. When the guide spacer is attached to the connector socket, by hooking a part of the guide spacer on the top, bottom, or side opening of the connector socket, the guide spacer does not come off. When mounting the circuit board on which the connector socket is mounted to the housing, it is possible to prevent troubles such as the guide spacer falling out of the connector socket without having to use screws or fixing with separate parts. Has an action.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the connector socket of the fourth aspect, the pressing portion of the guide spacer is fitted into the opening or the concave portion. By also serving as a presser for the medium, there is no need to attach a separate part, so that there is an effect that it is possible to save time and effort for mounting and to reduce material costs of the product.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage section into which a flat card-shaped medium is inserted, and a plurality of contacts electrically connected to a plurality of contacts provided on the card-shaped medium in a width direction. An information device comprising: a connector socket having a terminal; and a guide spacer serving as a guide and a presser in a direction in which the card-shaped medium is inserted is mounted on the storage section.The guide spacer is mounted on the storage section. By adopting a storage portion having a width corresponding to a thin card-shaped medium, even if a card-shaped medium smaller in size than a standard-sized card-shaped medium is inserted as long as the specifications of the contact portion are made common, The connector socket can be fitted and operated electrically without any problem, and by using only some of the terminals of the existing connector socket to maintain the compatibility of the terminal section, a new connector socket can be used. The need to take is eliminated.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a memory card is inserted into a connector socket according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a connector socket having a storage section 1a for a memory card 2 and a plurality of terminals 1b arranged on a printed circuit board 1c. An opening 1d is provided on the upper surface. Reference numeral 3 denotes a guide spacer, in which a guide portion 3a, a holding portion 3b, a holding portion 3c, and a guide portion 3d are integrally molded as a resin molded product.

The mounting operation of the connector socket of the present invention configured as described above will be described. First, FIG.
As described above, the guide portion 3a of the guide spacer 3 is inserted into the storage portion 1a of the connector socket 1 from the front in the direction of arrow A and mounted. When inserted, presser 3 of guide spacer 3
Due to the resiliency of the resin, c once sinks below the ceiling surface of the connector socket 1 and rises again at the position of the opening 1d of the connector socket 1. Then, the end face of the pressing portion 3c hits the end face of the opening 1d, and the end face of the pressing portion 3c is caught and does not move in the original direction. That is, the guide spacer 3 does not come off. Also, the holding portion 3 of the guide spacer 3
b is outside the connector socket 1, and the guide spacer 3 is held by the guide portion 3a and the holding portion 3b so as to sandwich the connector socket 1. Thereafter, the memory card 2 is inserted. The memory card 2 is guided along the guide portions 3a and 3d of the guide spacer 3, and the contacts (not shown) of the memory card 2 are connected to a part of the terminal 1b of the connector socket 1. Contact and make electrical connection. At this time, the memory card 2 is pressed by the spring property of the resin of the pressing portion 3c of the guide spacer 3.

As described above, the guide spacer 3 can be easily attached to the connector socket 1 only by pushing the guide spacer 3 into the storage portion 1a. In addition, since the guide spacer 3 has the holding portion 3c, there is no need to provide a separate part for holding, and the card-shaped medium does not float and does not fall out of the connector socket. Further, since the pressing portion 3c is made of resin, the resin memory card is not damaged.

The guide spacer requires less mold cost and development period than the connector socket, does not require capital investment for assembling the connector socket, and does not require much time and labor to evaluate the reliability.

As described above, by mounting the guide spacer on the connector socket and using only a part of the terminals of the existing standard-size connector socket, it is possible to solve the problem that the connector socket has to be newly formed every time. be able to.

The opening 1d of the connector socket 1 for retaining the guide spacer 3 may be a recess instead of a hole. Further, the guide spacer may be hooked on the connector socket without being limited to the ceiling surface of the connector socket 1 and may be hooked on a hole provided on a side surface of the connector socket 1 or on a hole provided on the bottom surface.

In this embodiment, the guide spacer is mounted on the connector socket itself. However, the same effect can be obtained by mounting the guide spacer on the housing of an information device such as a personal computer.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to solve the problem that the connector socket has to be newly formed by mounting the guide spacer on the connector socket and using only a part of the terminals of the existing connector socket. can do. In addition, by providing the holding portion integrally with the guide spacer, there is obtained an advantageous effect that the memory card can be prevented from floating and falling out of the connector socket without providing a separate part for holding.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a memory card is inserted into a connector socket according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a memory card is inserted into a connector socket according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which a memory card is inserted into a connector socket according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where a memory card is inserted into a conventional connector socket.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector socket 1a Storage section 1b Terminal 1d Opening 2 Memory card 3 Guide spacer 3a, 3d Guide section 3b Holding section 3c Holding section

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A connector socket having a storage section in which a flat card-shaped medium is mounted, and a plurality of terminals electrically connected to a plurality of contacts provided in the card-shaped medium in a width direction. A connector socket, wherein a guide spacer serving both as a guide in the mounting direction of the card-shaped medium and as a presser is mounted in the storage section. 2. The guide spacer according to claim 1, wherein the guide spacer comprises a guide portion for restricting the movement of the card-shaped medium in the width direction and a pressing portion for suppressing the movement in the thickness direction by elasticity. Connector socket. 3. The guide spacer according to claim 2, wherein the guide spacer is a resin molded product, and the holding portion is formed integrally.
Connector socket as described. 4. An opening or a recess is provided on a top surface, a side surface or a bottom surface of the storage portion, and a part of the guide spacer is fitted into the opening or the recess.
Connector socket as described. 5. The connector socket according to claim 4, wherein the holding portion of the guide spacer is fitted into the opening or the recess. 6. A storage section in which a flat card-shaped medium is mounted, and a connector socket having a plurality of terminals electrically connected to a plurality of contacts provided in the card-shaped medium in a width direction. An information device, comprising: a guide spacer which serves both as a guide and a holder in a mounting direction of the card-shaped medium in the storage portion.