JP2002025660A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturized card connector in which an end of a contact connected to an electric device side restricts little the mount space of the electronic device. SOLUTION: This card connector 10 comprises a case 12 and a plurality of contacts 14. The contacts 14 are fixed to a lower wall 20 of the case 12 by press-fitting a press-fit part 14a into a groove part 20c from the X1 direction side. In this condition, end parts 14b of the contacts 14 are protruded from the lower wall 20 diagonally upward in the X2 direction. The other end part 14c of the contact 14 is slightly exposed in the downward direction (Z2 direction) from a lower surface of the lower wall 20, and a tip is arranged horizontally in Fig. 2 along the direction X1-X2. One end parts 14b of the contacts 14 are connected to terminals 6 of an IC card memory medium 5, and the other end parts 14c are surface-mounted on terminals of a substrate 26 of the electronic device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a card connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of electronic equipment in recent years, various external recording media are provided so as to be connectable to electronic equipment as the amount of information handled increases. These external recording media include a PC card and an I / O used by being attached to an adapter.
C card memory media (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as card-type recording media) and the like. The card type recording medium is connected to an electronic device via a connector (hereinafter, referred to as a card connector).

[0003] Of these card-type recording media, the latter IC card memory media needs to be attached to an adapter as described above in order to connect to an electronic device provided with a connector compatible with a PC card. However, recently, electronic devices provided with a card connector to which an IC card memory medium can be directly connected have been adopted.

A conventional example of a card connector to which such an IC card memory medium can be directly connected will be described with reference to FIG.

[0005] The card connector 1 is composed of a housing 2 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape and a plurality of contacts 3.

The housing 2 is made of an insulating material such as a resin, and has a concave card insertion portion 2a. A plurality of through holes 2c for press-fitting the contacts 3 in the Y1-Y2 direction are formed in the bottom wall 2b that closes the end of the card insertion section 2a. On the other hand, the upper wall 2d also has a plurality of grooves 2e communicating with the through hole 2c and having a smaller width than the through hole 2c.

[0007] The contact 3 is made of Y1-Y in FIG.
A plurality are arranged in two directions. Each of the contacts 3 has the press-fit portion 3a press-fitted into the through-hole portion 2c, and the bottom wall 2
fixed to b. One end 3b of the contact 3 has a hook-shaped tip, and has an opening (X in FIG. 1) of the card insertion portion 2a.
The other end 3c is formed in a right angle shape, and is fixed by being inserted into a through hole 4a of a substrate 4 of an electronic component (not shown).

The IC card memory medium 5 connected to the card connector 1 is formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped. Principal surface 5, which is the largest surface of the six rectangular parallelepipeds
A plurality of grooves 5c are formed at the tip of the main surface 5b (upper surface in FIG. 1) which is the back surface of the grooves 5a and 5b, and the terminal 6 is provided at the bottom of the groove 5c.

When connecting the IC card memory medium 5 to the electronic device, the terminal 6 of the IC card memory medium 5
Is inserted into the card insertion section 2a. At this time, the IC card memory medium 5 stops when the terminal 6 slides on the lower surface of the one end 3b of the contact 3 and is inserted to a predetermined position, and the connection is completed.

[0010]

However, in the case of the card connector 1 described above, the other end 3c of the contact 3 is provided.
After projecting the bottom wall 2b of the housing 2 in the X2 direction,
Since the contact 3 is refracted in the direction and is connected to the substrate 4, the region where the other end 3 c of the contact 3 protrudes has a problem that the mounting space of the substrate 4 is restricted.

The above-mentioned problem can occur not only in an IC card memory medium but also in other card-type recording media such as a PC card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a miniaturized card connector in which an end of a contact connected to an electronic device does not restrict a mounting space of the electronic device. The purpose is to do.

[0013]

According to the present invention, there is provided a card connector in which a contact having one end connected to a card type recording medium and the other end connected to an electronic device is formed into a concave shape for inserting the card type recording medium. A card connector having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape, wherein the contact has an end portion in the insertion portion in which the card-type recording medium is inserted. And the other end is exposed from a wall of the housing parallel to the insertion direction (the invention according to claim 1).

Here, the type of the card type recording medium is not limited, and as long as the effects of the present invention can be obtained,
Various objects such as a card and an IC card memory medium are widely applicable, and in this case, the detailed shape of the contact is appropriately set according to the terminal shape and the terminal arrangement state of the card type recording medium.

Thus, the contact of the card connector is not extended from the rear end wall of the housing because the end on the side connected to the electronic device does not extend through the bottom side of the insertion portion. Since there is no such space, the mounting space for the electronic device is less restricted, and the mounting space can be effectively secured.

In this case, the wall of the housing may be formed so as to form one surface of the insertion portion facing the main surface of the card type recording medium to be inserted. Invention). Here, the main surfaces refer to two front and back surfaces having the largest areas among the six surfaces of the housing formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped shape.

Thus, the contact of the card connector is more suitable because the end connected to the electronic device does not penetrate not only the bottom side of the insertion section but also the side wall of the insertion section.

Further, in this case, the contact is arranged such that the one end is located on the inner bottom side of the insertion portion and the other end is located on the opening side of the insertion portion. Invention according to item 3), it is not necessary to particularly extend the dimension of the housing in the card-type recording medium insertion direction.

That is, even when the other end of the contact is disposed so as not to extend to the rear of the housing and protrude, the other end of the contact is located behind the insertion portion than the one end. Side, that is, when disposed on the inner bottom side of the housing, it is inevitable that the size of the housing in the card-type recording medium insertion direction is particularly extended depending on the shape of the contact centering on the press-fitting portion. However, this substantially limits the mounting space of the electronic device. On the other hand, according to the present invention, even when a contact having a normal shape is used, the other end is closer to the opening side of the insertion portion, in other words, to the front side of the housing than the one end. Because it is arranged,
The effects of the present invention can be achieved without such a problem.

In the card connector according to the present invention, the contact has one end slidably disposed on the terminal and the other end surface mounted on a substrate of the electronic device. The contact according to claim 4), wherein the contact has a press-fit portion fixed to the wall portion (invention according to claim 5).
It is preferable that the IC card memory medium has a terminal provided at an end of the main surface (the invention according to claim 6).

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of a card connector according to the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as an embodiment) will be described by taking an example in which an IC card memory medium is used as a connected card type recording medium. This will be described below with reference to FIGS.

Here, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the card connector 10, and FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the card connector 10. In this case, both the card connector 10 and the IC card memory medium 5 shown in the figure are turned upside down from the conventional example shown in FIG.
1 shows a state where the device is arranged facing upward.

The card connector 10 according to this embodiment
Is composed of a housing 12 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape and a plurality of contacts 14.

The housing 12 includes a bottom wall 15, an upper wall 18, and a lower wall 2.
2, a concave card insertion portion (insertion portion) having an opening in the X1 direction in FIG.
16 are formed. Therefore, the upper and lower walls 18, 20
And the side walls 21 and 22 are the IC card memory media 5
Along the insertion direction, that is, parallel to the insertion direction. Ends of the upper and lower walls 18 and 20 in the X1 direction in FIG.
Notches 18a and 20a communicating with the notches 18a and 20a are formed.
The bottom wall 15, the lower wall 20, and the side walls 21, 22 are, for example,
The upper wall 18 is integrally formed of a resin material, and the upper wall 18 is formed of, for example, a metal material as a separate member.

The lower wall 20 is located behind the notch 20a (see FIG. 2).
In the middle X2 direction), a plurality of concave groove portions 20b are formed along the X2 direction. Of these, a wide groove portion 20c communicating with the groove portion 20b is further formed below the groove portion 20b in a portion extending over the distance L of the lower wall 20, and therefore, during this distance L, an opening formed by the groove portion 20b and the groove portion 20c is formed. The cross-sectional shape is convex. On the side wall 22 of the housing 12 in the Y1 direction, a leaf spring member 24 formed to be convex in the Y2 direction is provided.

The contact 14 is formed so that one end 14b is bent in a hook shape with the wide press-fit portion 14a interposed therebetween, and the other end 14c is formed in a substantially tongue shape.

The contact 14 is fixed to the lower wall 20 of the housing 12 by pressing the press-fit portion 14a into the groove 20c from the X1 direction side. In this state, the one end 14 b of the contact 14 projects from the lower wall 20 obliquely upward in the X2 direction, and is disposed on the far bottom side of the card insertion unit 16. On the other hand, the other end 14c of the contact 14 is
6 from the notch 20a formed on the opening side of the lower wall 2
0 is exposed slightly below the lower surface (Z2 direction) of the lower surface, and the tip is arranged horizontally in FIG. 2 along the X1-X2 direction.

Therefore, the contact 14 is connected to the other end 1.
4c is disposed in the lower (Z2 direction) projection plane of the housing 12, and as a result, the contact 14 includes the entirety including not only the one end 14b and the press-fitting portion 14a but also the other end 14c.
It is substantially housed inside the housing 12. The contacts 14 located at both ends in the Y1-Y2 direction of the plurality of arranged contacts 14 are arranged such that the other end 14c protrudes in the X1 direction from the contact 14 located at the center. Of these contacts 14, the former is used, for example, for power supply or grounding, and the latter is used, for example, for signals.

The card connector 10 provided with the contacts 14 is disposed on, for example, a substrate 26 of an electronic device. At this time, the other end 14c of the contact 14 is
6 is mounted on the surface of the terminal (not shown). At the time of surface mounting, it is possible to easily confirm the quality of the bonding state of the other end 14c and the terminal of the board by soldering through the notches 18a and 20a.

As shown in FIG. 3, side walls 18a, 18b are provided on both sides of the upper wall 18 of the card connector 10, and locking holes 19, 19 formed in the side walls 18a, 18b. Projections 23 formed on the side walls 21 and 22;
By locking the 23, the housing 12 is integrated as a whole. The housing 12 is fixed to the substrate 26 by inserting a not-shown locking member into a projection 27 having locking holes 25 provided at the lower ends of the side walls 18a and 18b.

The IC card memory medium 5 connected to the card connector 10 is the same as that described in the conventional example, is formed in a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and has the largest area among the six rectangular parallelepipeds. The back surface 5b of the surfaces 5a and 5b
A plurality of grooves 5c are formed at the tip of (the lower surface in FIG. 2),
The terminal 6 is provided at the bottom of the groove 5c.

When the IC card memory medium 5 is connected to the electronic device, the terminal 6 of the IC card memory medium 5
Is inserted into the card insertion section 16. At this time, in the IC card memory medium 5, the terminal 6 slides on the hook-shaped upper end of the one end 14b of the contact 14 in FIG.
When it is inserted to a predetermined position, it stops and the connection is completed.
A concave portion (not shown) is formed on the side wall of the IC card memory medium 5, and the IC card memory medium 5 is fixed to the card connector 10 by engaging with the leaf spring member 24.

In the card connector 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the entirety of the contact 14 is substantially accommodated in the housing 12. Does not protrude from the rear end wall of the housing, so that there is little restriction on the mounting space of the electronic device.

Regardless of the present embodiment, in this case, if there is no problem in the mounting space on the side of the housing 12, that is, outside the Y1 and Y2 direction side walls in FIG. It does not exclude that the portion 14c is provided to be exposed from the side wall, and that the other end 14c of the contact 14 is provided to be exposed from the upper wall 18 of the housing 12 is not excluded.

The card connector 10 is arranged such that one end 14b of the contact 14 is located at the bottom of the card insertion portion 16 and the other end 14c of the contact 14 is located at the opening side of the card insertion portion 16. Since it is provided, there is no need to extend the dimension of the housing 12 in the insertion direction.

[0036]

According to the card connector of the first aspect, the contact extends from the wall portion of the housing at one end extending along the insertion direction at the insertion portion and the other end extending parallel to the insertion direction. Since the contacts are exposed, the contacts do not protrude from the housing, and the mounting space for the electronic device can be effectively secured accordingly.

According to the card connector of the third aspect, the contacts are arranged such that one end is located at the bottom of the insertion portion and the other end is located at the opening of the insertion portion. Therefore, it is not necessary to extend the dimension of the housing in the card-type recording medium insertion direction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional card connector with a part cut away.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the card connector according to the embodiment in a partially broken manner.

FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the card connector according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 IC card memory medium 10 Card connector 12 Housing 14 Contact 14a Press-fit portion 14b One end 14c Other end 16 Card insertion portion 18 Upper wall 18a, 20a Notch portion 20 Lower wall 24 Leaf spring member

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (Reference) H01R 12/22 H01R 23/68 PF term (Reference) 2C005 MA16 QC05 TA06 TA20 TA21 5B058 CA13 5E023 AA04 AA16 AA21 BB01 BB19 BB22 CC23 CC26 DD22 EE10 EE29 FF01 GG15 HH17 5E087 EE04 EE12 FF01 FF19 FF27 GG06 MM02 RR04 RR25

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A contact having one end connected to a card-type recording medium and the other end connected to an electronic device, having a concave insertion portion for inserting the card-type recording medium, and having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape. A card connector provided in a housing formed at the other end of the card connector, wherein the contact has one end extending along the insertion direction of the card-type recording medium at the insertion portion, and Is exposed from a wall of the housing parallel to the insertion direction. 2. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the wall portion forms one surface of the insertion portion facing a main surface of the card type recording medium to be inserted. 3. The contact is arranged such that the one end is located on the inner bottom side of the insertion portion, and the other end is located on the opening side of the insertion portion. The card connector according to claim 1. 4. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the one end is slidably disposed on the terminal, and the other end is surface-mounted on a substrate of the electronic device.
4. The card connector according to any one of items 1 to 3. 5. The card connector according to claim 4, wherein said contact has a press-fit portion fixed to said wall portion. 6. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the card-type recording medium is an IC card memory medium having a terminal provided at an end of the main surface. .