JP2007227326A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve contact reliability of a card detection switching mechanism, without changing the size of a card connector. <P>SOLUTION: The card connector is provided with a box-shaped housing 11 on the front side face of which a card inserting mouth 10 is opened, a sliding member 20, which is arranged in the housing 11 and shifts forward and backward together with a card 1, which is inserted into the housing 11 from the card inserting mouth 10 and a card detecting switch mechanism 90. The card-detecting switch mechanism 90 comprises a sliding switch structure, in which from a sliding contact point 91 provided on the sliding member 50 and from a pair of contact points 92, 93 arranged in a direction of the shift of the sliding member 50 fixed in the housing 11, the sliding contact point 91 contacts/slides on each of the contact points 92, 93 on the side of the housing by a shift of the sliding member 50 accompanying card insertion, and each of the contact points 92, 93 on the side of the housing 11 is made continuous. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a card connector having a card detection switch mechanism among card connectors for connecting a card such as a memory card to an electronic device such as a PC or a mobile phone.

As a conventional technique of this type, there is one in which a card detection switch mechanism is provided together with a push / push type ejection mechanism in a box-shaped housing having a card insertion opening opened on the front side surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-349223 A

  In the prior art card detection switch mechanism, the leaf spring as a movable contact is displaced in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the slide member due to the movement of the slide member constituting the eject mechanism along with the insertion of the card, and abuts the fixed contact. By contact, the movable contact and the fixed contact are conducted, and card attachment is detected. However, since the wiping hardly occurs at the contact, the contact of the contact occurs when foreign matter adheres to the contact surface or an oxide film is formed. Inferiority and contact reliability was not high.

  In addition to the butt contact method that hardly causes wiping as described above, there is a sliding contact method that causes wiping. In the sliding contact method, one contact is slid after the other contact is made, and the contact surface receives a self-cleaning effect, so that high contact reliability is obtained. However, in the sliding contact method, the shape of the contact is more complicated and larger than that of the butt contact method, and otherwise, a sufficient amount of wiping cannot be secured. If the sliding contact method is adopted as the contact method, the size of the card connector is impaired.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the contact reliability of the card detection switch mechanism cannot be improved without losing the size of the card connector.

  The present invention relates to a box-shaped housing having a card insertion opening on the front side, a slide member that is disposed in the housing and moves in the front-rear direction together with the card inserted into the housing from the card insertion opening, and a card. In the card connector comprising a detection switch mechanism, the card detection switch mechanism comprises a sliding contact provided on the slide member and a pair of contacts attached to the housing and arranged in the moving direction of the slide member, The sliding contact sequentially contacts and slides with the contacts on the housing side by the movement of the slide member as the card is inserted, and the contacts on the housing side are made conductive.

  According to the present invention, since the card detection switch mechanism is configured in a slide switch structure using a slide member, wiping that does not depend on the shape of each contact occurs, and a sufficient amount of wiping can be secured. High contact reliability can be obtained. In addition, the card detection switch mechanism can be assembled in a space-saving manner with a slide switch structure, and the shape of each contact is simple and small, and the card detection switch mechanism can be incorporated in a more space-saving manner, thus reducing the size of the card connector. In contrast, downsizing can be achieved. Therefore, it is possible to improve the contact reliability of the card detection switch mechanism while reducing the size without losing the size of the card connector.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a card connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIGS. 8A to 8C show a card mounted in this embodiment, where FIG. 8A is a front view, FIG. 8B is a side view, and FIG. 8C is a back view. The card 1 is known as “Transflash (registered trademark)” or “Micro SD card (registered trademark)”, and a notch 2 for preventing erroneous insertion is provided on one end of the card 1. An engaging groove 3 is provided on the side surface portion on the near side from 2. A plurality of (eight) connection terminals 4 are arranged in parallel on the back side of the front end of the card 1.

  FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an initial insertion state when a card is inserted in the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an internal structure when no card is inserted in the present embodiment. It is.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the present embodiment includes a box-like (cuboid) housing 11 in which a card insertion slot 10 for inserting the card 1 is opened to the left side of the front side surface. The housing 11 includes a resin (insulating) housing main body 20 and a metal plate (conductive) cover 30 that is attached to the housing main body 20 from above. The bottom surface portion of the housing 11, the right side surface portion, the rear side surface portion, and the front side surface portion on the right side of the card insertion slot 10 are integrally formed with the housing body 20, the bottom plate portion 21, the right side wall portion 22, the rear side wall portion 23, and the front side wall portion 24. The top surface portion, the right side surface cover portion, and the left side surface portion of the housing 11 are formed of metal by a top plate portion 31, a right side surface cover portion 32, and a left side wall portion 33 integrally formed with the cover 30. .

  As means for positioning the cover 30 on the housing body 20, positioning protrusions 25 that protrude on the outer side surface of the right side wall portion 22 and the left side end surface of the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20 with substantially the same thickness as the thickness of the cover 30. The right side cover portion 32 and the left side wall portion 33 of the cover 30 are provided with a positioning notch 34 that is opened downward to be fitted to the positioning projection 25 on the housing body 20 side from above. Further, as a means for fixing the cover 30 to the housing body 20, an engagement claw that protrudes on the outer side surface of the right side wall portion 22 and the left side end surface of the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20 with substantially the same thickness as the cover 30. 26, and an engagement hole 35 into which the engagement claw 26 on the housing body 20 side is fitted is provided in the right side cover portion 32 and the left side wall portion 33 of the cover 30. A plurality of leg portions 36 for soldering to a printed wiring board (not shown) are provided on the cover 30, and the lower surface of the leg portions 36 is substantially flush with the back surface (lower surface) of the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of (eight) contacts 40 that are electrically connected to the connection terminals 4 of the card 1 are provided in parallel in the housing 11. Each contact 40 is formed of a thin plate spring formed by punching and bending a thin metal plate so that the shape of the side view is formed in a substantially “h” shape, and the front portion is formed on the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20. The rear part protrudes on the bottom plate part 21 of the housing body 20 so as to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction. A leg 41 for soldering the printed wiring board is provided at the front end of each contact 40, and the lower surface of the leg 41 is also substantially flush with the back of the bottom plate 21 of the housing body 20. Further, at the rear end portion of each contact 40, a mountain-shaped contact portion 42 that is brought into contact with the connection terminal 3 of the card 1 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a resin (insulating) slide that is arranged on the right side in the housing 11 and moves in the front-rear direction together with the card 1 inserted into the housing 11 from the card insertion slot 10. A member 50 is provided. The slide member 50 has a bottom surface slidably supported on the surface (upper surface) of the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20, a right side surface slidably supported on the inner surface of the right wall portion 22 of the housing body 20, and an upper surface covered with the cover 30. The top plate 31 is slidably supported on the inner surface of the top plate 31 so that movement in the left-right direction is restricted and only movement in the front-rear direction is allowed. On the left side surface of the slide member 50 facing the left side wall portion 33 of the cover 30, an overhang portion 51 that fits into the notch 2 of the card 1 is provided, and a rear end portion of the overhang portion 51 (rear side of the slide member 50 A card receiving portion 52 is provided which protrudes vertically from the end portion) toward the left side and abuts the front end surface of the card 1.

  The slide member 50 constitutes a push / push type ejection mechanism. The slide member 50 is always forward (toward the card ejection direction) by a coil spring 60 provided between the slide member 50 and the rear side wall 23 of the housing body 20. It is energized. Also, a heart-shaped cam groove 70 is provided on the upper surface of the slide member 50, and is formed of an elongated metal rod whose both ends are bent at right angles in one direction, and the one end side bent portion is a right side wall portion of the housing body 20. A bent portion of the other end side of the cam pin 71 that is rotatably attached to the shaft 22 is slidably fitted into the cam groove 70 of the slide member 50. The cam pin 71 is always urged downward by a leaf spring 36 (see FIG. 2) formed by a part of the top plate portion 31 of the cover 30, and is inserted into a bearing hole provided in the right side wall portion 22 of the housing body 20. The bent portion at one end of the cam pin 71 is inserted and held, and the tip of the bent portion at the other end of the cam pin 71 is slidably pressed against the bottom surface of the cam groove 70 of the slide member 50. Further, the slide member 50 is provided with a half lock spring 80. The half lock spring 80 is a cantilevered plate spring whose rear portion is fixedly supported by the slide member 50 and whose front portion can be elastically displaced in the left-right direction, and extends forward from the overhanging portion 51 of the slide member 50. A chevron-shaped engaging portion 81 that fits into the engaging groove 3 of the card 1 is provided at the front end portion of the half lock spring 80.

  Thus, the push / push type eject mechanism is engaged with the card 1 inserted into the housing 11 through the card insertion slot 10 by the engagement member made of the half lock spring 80 or the like, and in the card insertion / removal direction together with the card 1. A movable slide member 50, a biasing member composed of a coil spring 60 or the like that constantly biases the slide member 50 in the card ejection direction, and the slide member 50 against the biasing member by the first pushing operation of the card 1. A cam mechanism comprising a heart-shaped cam groove 70 and a cam pin 71 having a lock function for holding the card 1 in the mounting position and a lock release function for releasing the lock by the second pushing operation of the card 1. Yes. In the push / push type ejection mechanism, when the card 1 is not inserted, as shown in FIG. 3, the slide member 50 is held at the initial position which is the movement end position in the card ejection direction, and the other end of the cam pin 71 is The side bent portion is held in the initial state of being fitted into the one end side starting portion 70 a of the cam groove 70.

  This embodiment includes a card detection switch mechanism as shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view of a card detection switch mechanism provided in the present embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the card detection switch mechanism 90 is attached to the sliding contact 91 provided on the slide member 50 and the housing body 20 of the housing 11, and a pair of front and rear is arranged in the moving direction of the slide member 50. The plate spring contacts 92 and 93 are formed into a slide switch structure.

  The sliding contact 91 is a rectangular flat plate fixedly attached to the right side surface of the sliding member 50 facing the inner surface of the right side wall portion 22 of the housing body 20 on the side where the sliding member 50 is disposed, with one surface exposed to the same surface. It moves in the front-rear direction integrally with the slide member 50 by the movement of the slide member 50. The metal plate as the sliding contact 91 may be provided integrally with the slide member 50 by insert molding in addition to being fitted and fixed to a contact fitting recess provided in advance on the right side surface of the slide member 50 via an adhesive. it can. As the sliding contact 50, other than a metal plate, a conductive resin plate or a resin plate having a surface plated with gold can be used as long as the pair of leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 can be electrically connected.

  A contact receiving space 27 formed by partially cutting away the right side wall portion 22 of the housing main body 20 is provided in the rear right side portion of the housing main body 20, and the contact receiving space 27 is formed in the contact receiving space 27. A partition wall 28 that divides the front and rear is erected.

  The front leaf spring contact 92 has a front portion fixedly supported on the right side wall portion 22 in front of the contact accommodating space 27 of the housing body 20 and a rear portion elastically displaced in the left-right direction to the front portion of the contact accommodating space 27 in front of the partition wall 28. It consists of a cantilever-supported metal leaf spring that extends and is supported, and on the rear end side of the leaf spring contact 92 is a mountain shape that projects from the front portion of the contact accommodating space 27 to the sliding member 50 movement region on the right side in the housing 11. A contact portion 92a is provided.

  The leaf spring contact 93 on the rear side is a metal leaf spring bent in an L shape so as to follow the corner on the right side of the rear portion of the housing body 20. The plate spring comprises a cantilever-supported metal leaf spring that is fixedly supported at the right end and extends in the front-rear direction so that it can be elastically displaced in the left-right direction at the rear of the contact accommodating space 27 behind the partition wall 28. The front end of the front piece (spring piece portion) extending in the front-rear direction of the contact 92 is pressed against the engagement surface 28a provided on the partition wall 28 to be preloaded on the spring piece portion of the leaf spring contact 92. A mountain-shaped contact portion 93 a that protrudes from the rear portion of the contact accommodating space 27 to the sliding member 50 moving region on the right side in the housing 11 is provided at the intermediate portion of the spring piece portion of the leaf spring contact 92.

  The fixed portions of the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 are provided with leg portions 92b and 93b for soldering to the printed circuit board, and the lower surfaces of the leg portions 92b and 93b are also substantially on the back surface of the bottom plate portion 21 of the housing body 20. It is exposed flush.

  When the card 1 is not inserted, the card detection switch mechanism 90 is configured so that the sliding contact 91 is connected to the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 by the sliding member 50 at the initial position as shown in the phantom line of FIG. At the front side of the contact portions 92a and 93a, the switch is held at the switch open position where it does not come into contact with any of the contact portions 92a and 93a, and is held in the switch open state (switch OFF state).

  As described above, the card detection switch mechanism 90 has a slide switch structure in which the sliding contact 91 is added to the pair of leaf spring contacts 92 and 93, and the sliding contact 91 is formed on the right side surface of the slide member 50. Since it does not protrude from the outer surface of the slide member 50, it is not necessary to secure any installation space or moving space for the sliding contact 91, which is an additional part, in the housing 11, and the card connector can be enlarged. Will not be invited. Further, since the card detection switch mechanism 90 has a slide switch structure, there is no need to dispose the contact portions 92a and 93b of the pair of leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 in the left-right direction, and the installation space for each leaf spring contact 92 and 93 is provided. The leaf spring contact points 92a and 93b have simple and small shapes, and the installation space for each leaf spring contact point 92 and 93 is made smaller in the left and right width size. Therefore, the size of the card connector is not increased, and the size can be reduced.

  Note that the slide member 50 has its corners on the right side of the rear portion slanted (chamfered) so that the contact portions 92a and 93a of the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 are moved when the slide member 50 is moved from the initial position to the rear side. An inclined guide surface 53 is provided for riding on the sliding contact 91 provided on the right side surface of the slide member 50.

  The present embodiment configured as described above is surface-mounted on a printed wiring board built in an electronic device housing such as a mobile phone, and each leg 36 of the cover 30, the leg 41 of each contact 40, and the card detection. The leg portions 92b and 93b of the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 of the switch mechanism 90 are soldered and fixed to the wiring pattern of the printed wiring board, and are used in an electrically connected state. All or some of the leg portions 36 of the cover 30 are electrically connected to the ground so that static electricity from a person can escape to the ground through the cover 30 and prevent electrostatic breakdown of various electronic components mounted on the printed wiring board. It has become.

  Next, the operation when the card 1 is inserted in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the initial insertion state when the card is inserted in the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is an internal view of the state in which the card is inserted and pushed to the most pushed position in the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the internal structure in a state where the card is inserted and mounted in the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a card inserted in the present embodiment and pushed to the most pushed position. It is a perspective view which shows the card | curd detection switch mechanism part of the state which was caught.

  When the card 1 is properly inserted into the housing 11 through the card insertion slot 10 from the narrow end with the back side down, the protruding portion 51 of the slide member 50 is fitted into the cutout portion 2 of the card 1. The slide member 50 is fitted between the left side surface portion 33 of the cover 30 and the front end surface of the card 1 comes into contact with the card receiving portion 52 of the slide member 50. In the initial stage of insertion, when the cutout portion 2 of the card 1 passes through the engagement portion 81 of the half lock spring 80, the engagement portion 81 of the half lock spring 80 is notched of the card 1 with elastic displacement to the right side. Riding on the side surface between the portion 2 and the engaging groove 3, the engaging groove of the card 1 is almost simultaneously with the receiving portion 52 of the slide member 50 receiving the card 1 by contact with the front end surface of the card 1. 3 is opposed to the engaging portion 81 of the half lock spring 80, and the engaging portion 81 of the half lock spring 80 is fitted into the engaging groove 3 of the card 1 with elastic return to the left side of the half lock spring 80. As a result, the card 1 and the slide member 50 are engaged in the card insertion / removal direction (front-rear direction), and the card 1 is half-locked (see FIG. 4).

  When the card 1 is further inserted into the rear side (back side) of the housing 11 from the initial insertion state, the card 1 presses the receiving portion 52 of the slide member 50 to the rear side with this front end surface, and the slide member 50 is pushed against the biasing force of the coil spring 60 from the initial position to the rear side of the housing 11 as the card 1 is inserted. Thereafter, the card 1 is pushed to the most pushed position where the front end face abuts against the rear side wall 23 of the housing main body 20, and the slide member 50 also resists the biasing force of the coil spring 60 and the rear end face is pushed against the urging force of the coil spring 60. 20 is pushed to the most pushed position, which is the movement end position in the card insertion direction that hits the rear side wall 23 (see FIG. 5).

  When the pushing force of the card 1 is released in the state where the card 1 is pushed into the most pushed position as described above, the slide member 50 is pushed back from the most pushed position to the front side by the biasing force of the coil spring 60. The card 1 is also pushed back from the most pushed position to the front side. By a series of operations from the initial position of the slide member 50, the bent portion of the other end side of the cam pin 71 passes from the one end side starting portion 70a of the cam groove 70 through the forward path 70b and is introduced into the other end side locking portion 70c. The movement of the slide member 50 toward the front side is restricted, and the slide member 50 is locked with respect to the housing body 20 at the card mounting position slightly before the most depressed position. As a result, the card 1 engaged with the slide member 50 in the card insertion / removal direction is held at the card mounting position, and the contact portions 42 of the contacts 40 come into contact with the connection terminals 4 of the card 1. The terminal 4 and each contact 40 are electrically connected to enter a card mounting state, and signals can be transmitted and received between the electronic device and the card 1 (see FIG. 6).

  When the card is inserted and mounted, the card contact switch mechanism 90 moves from the switch open position to the rear side together with the slide member 50 by moving the slide member 50 from the initial position to the most pushed position. The sliding contact 91 comes into contact with and slides on the inclined guide surface 53 of the sliding member 50 by the movement of the sliding member 50 from the initial position to the most pushed position, and gets on the sliding contact 91 with elastic displacement to the right side. The contact portion 92a of the front leaf spring contact 92 that rises is pressed and slid (wiping) while pressing the contact portion 92a to the right side, and then the sliding contact 91 remains in contact with the contact portion 92a of the front leaf spring contact 92, Immediately before the slide member 50 passes the card mounting position, the leaf spring on the rear side contacts and slides on the inclined guide surface 53 of the slide member 50 and rides on the slide contact 91 with elastic displacement to the right side. The contact point 93a of the contact 93 is contacted and slid (wiped) while pressing the contact part 93a to the right side. Thereafter, the sliding contact 91 passes from the card member mounting position to the card mounting position immediately before the slide member 50 passes the card mounting position. Transfer In the meantime, while moving in unison with the slide member 50 while being in contact with the contact portions 92a and 93a of the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93, the slide member 50 reaches the card mounting position and is locked to the housing body 20. On the left side of the contact portions 92a and 93a of each leaf spring contact 92, the contact portions 92a and 93a are in contact with each other, and the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 are held in the switch closed position. As a result, the card detection switch mechanism 90 enters the switch closed state (switch ON state) in which the leaf spring contacts 92 and 93 are electrically connected through the sliding contact 91 in the switch closed position, and detects the mounting of the card 1. (See FIGS. 1, 5, 6, and 7).

  On the other hand, when the card 1 is pushed in with the card mounted, the card 1 and the slide member 50 are both pushed again to the most pushed position. By the operation of the slide member 50, the bent portion on the other end side of the cam pin 71 is detached from the locking portion 70c of the cam groove 70 and introduced into the return path 70d, and the lock of the slide member 50 at the card mounting position is released. The By releasing the pushing force of the card 1 at this time, the slide member 50 is pushed back from the most pushed position by the urging force of the coil spring 60 to return to the initial position, and is engaged with the slide member 50 in the card insertion / removal direction. The merged card 1 is ejected and held at the initial insertion position. When the card 1 discharged to the initial insertion position is pulled by pulling the end protruding from the card insertion slot 10 to the outside of the housing 11 with a finger, the engaging portion 81 of the half lock spring 80 is moved to the half lock spring. 80, with the elastic displacement to the right side of 80, the card 1 is pulled out from the engaging groove 3 and climbs onto the side surface between the notch 2 and the engaging groove 3 of the card 1, the half lock of the card 1 is released, The card can be removed from the housing 11 through the card insertion slot 10.

  Further, at the time of the above card ejection, the card detection switch mechanism 90 causes each of the leaf spring contacts 92 to return from the closed position to the slide contact 91 together with the slide member 50 by the return movement of the slide member 50 from the card mounting position to the initial position. , 93 is returned to the switch open position while sliding with respect to the contact portions 92a, 93a, and the switch is opened (switch OFF state).

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the card detection switch mechanism 90 is configured in a slide switch structure using the slide member 50, that is, the slide contact 91 is provided with a contact point and moves integrally with the slide member 50. , The wiping independent of the shape is generated at each contact 91, 92, 93, the surface of each contact 91, 92, 93 is subjected to a self-cleaning effect, and the slide member 50 Since a sufficient amount of wiping for the moving distance can be ensured, high contact reliability can be obtained. Further, the card detection switch mechanism 90 can be incorporated in a space-saving manner with a slide switch structure, and the shape of each contact 91, 92, 93 is simple and small, and the card detection switch mechanism 90 can be incorporated in a more space-saving manner. The size of the card connector is not impaired, and conversely it can be reduced in size. Therefore, it is possible to improve the contact reliability of the card detection switch mechanism 90 while reducing the size without impairing the size of the card connector.

  As mentioned above, although this embodiment showed one Embodiment of this invention, this invention is not limited to it, In the range which does not deviate from the summary, various deformation | transformation implementation can be carried out. For example, contrary to the present embodiment, a card switch having a slide switch structure in which a leaf spring is used as a sliding contact provided on the slide member side and a metal plate is used as a pair of front and rear contacts provided on the housing body side, and each is a fixed contact. You may comprise in a mechanism.

It is a plane explanatory view of a card detection switch mechanism with which this embodiment is provided. It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the state of the insertion initial stage when a card | curd is inserted in this embodiment. It is a top view which shows an internal structure when the card | curd is not inserted in this embodiment. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the state of the insertion initial stage when a card | curd is inserted in this embodiment. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the state in which the card | curd was inserted in this embodiment and was pushed to the most pushed position. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the state in which the card | curd was inserted and mounted in this embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the card | curd detection switch mechanism part in the state by which the card | curd was normally inserted in this embodiment and was pushed to the most pushed position. The card | curd with which this embodiment is mounted | worn is shown, (A) is a front view, (B) is a side view, (C) is a back view.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Card 10 Card insertion slot 11 Housing 50 Slide member 90 Card detection switch mechanism 91 Sliding contact 92 Front leaf spring contact 93 Rear leaf spring contact

Claims (1)

  A box-shaped housing having a card insertion opening on the front side; a slide member disposed in the housing and moving in the front-rear direction together with the card inserted into the housing from the card insertion opening; and a card detection switch mechanism; The card detection switch mechanism includes a sliding contact provided on the slide member, and a pair of contacts attached to the housing and arranged in the moving direction of the slide member, and accompanying card insertion A card connector, wherein the sliding contact sequentially contacts and slides with the contact on the housing side by movement of the slide member, and the contact on the housing side is made conductive.

Images