JP2980234B2 - Contact structure between IC card and contacts - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to inserting an IC card into a card accommodating room of an electronic device to give information owned by the IC card to an information processing circuit in the electronic device, The present invention relates to a contact structure between an IC card and a contact, which is preferably implemented when recording the information on an IC card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art DE 38,275 discloses that when an IC card is inserted into a card insertion room provided in an electronic device, the IC card is inserted into the card insertion room.
Following the insertion of the C card, the contact holder is pivoted upward to bring the contact into pressure contact with the electrode pad of the IC card.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned prior art, the link mechanism and the groove cam are additionally provided to rotate the contact holder in the vertical direction. Therefore, there is a problem that the reliability of contact between the electrode pad of the IC card and the contact is lacking.

In addition to the complicated structure of the link mechanism and the diagonal groove cam for rotatably supporting the contact holder, the contact holder is point-supported by the diagonal groove cam, so that it lacks stability and has a supporting strength. Has a problem inferior to

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a contact structure between an IC card and a contact which solves the above problems.

The contact structure of an IC card and a contact according to the present invention includes a contact holder that moves in the card insertion direction following the insertion of the IC card in the card insertion chamber, and the IC card and the contact holder are connected to each other. A guide portion is provided which comes into contact with a slope provided at the front end of the IC card in the course of following movement.

[0007] With the insertion of the IC card, the inclined surface slides on the surface of the guide portion, thereby lowering or raising the IC card according to the inclination angle of the inclined surface. The above-mentioned contact was configured to be brought into pressure contact.

In another example, an IC is inserted in a card insertion room.
A contact holder is provided that moves in the card insertion direction as the card is inserted, and a slope is provided on which the front end of the IC card abuts in the course of the IC card and the contact holder moving.

[0009] When the front end of the IC card slides on the slope with the insertion of the IC card, the IC card is lowered or raised in accordance with the inclination angle of the slope. Was brought into pressure contact with the contact.

[0010] According to the present invention, the slope acts as the IC card is inserted, and the IC card itself descends or rises and comes into pressure contact with the contact of the contact holder.

Therefore, there is no need to provide a link mechanism and an oblique groove cam for rotatably supporting the contact holder, and it is possible to solve the problem that the play of the link mechanism and the oblique groove cam impairs the reliability of the contact. Can be stably supported.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An IC card 1 is inserted into a card accommodating chamber 4 through a card slot 3 opened on the outer surface of an electronic device 2. The IC card 1 is stored in the card accommodation room 4.
1A, the contact holder 5 is disposed along the lower surface of the card accommodating chamber 4 as shown in FIG. 1A, or as shown in FIG. 1B. Then, it is arranged along the upper surface of the card accommodation room 4.

The contact holder 5 includes a plurality of contacts 6 extending in a card insertion direction and a plurality of contacts 7 extending in a card removal direction. Free ends of the contacts 6 and 7 are inserted into the card accommodating chamber 4. Contact portions 8 and 9 protruding toward each other are provided, and the contact portions 8 and 9 are arranged to face each other.

On the other hand, the IC card 1 has a built-in IC memory element, and has a groove 10 extending in a direction perpendicular to the card insertion direction on one surface thereof. A plurality of corresponding electrode pads 11 are arranged.

In the case of FIG.
1B, the contact portions 8 and 9 project upward. In the case of FIG. 1B, the contact portions 7 and 8 project downward. To contact with pressure.

In FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the contact holders 5 having the same structure are arranged in an inverted manner, and the IC card 1 is inverted and inserted in accordance with the arrangement, so that the above-mentioned contact can be obtained. The contacts 6 and 7 are connected to the printed circuit board in the electronic device via a flexible cable, so that the contact holder 5 can be moved.

At one end of the contact holder 5, that is, at the end on the card insertion end side, a card contact portion 12 facing the front end surface of the IC card 1 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the process of inserting the IC card 1, the front end face 13 of the card
2 and 3, the card holder 12 is pressed by the front end face 13 of the card, whereby the contact holder 5 is moved horizontally in the insertion direction following the insertion of the card.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the front end face of the card comes into contact with the card contact portion 12, the electrode pads 11 and the contact portions 8, 9 of the contacts 6, 7 face up and down.

A guide 14 for moving the IC card 1 in a direction approaching the contact holder 5 is provided in the card insertion chamber 4.

The guide portion 14 is arranged on the insertion locus of the IC card 1, and as shown in FIG. 3, the front end portion of the card in the course of the IC card 1 and the contact holder 5 moving in the card insertion direction. Abuts against the slope 15 provided on the side.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, as the insertion of the IC card 1 progresses, a slope 15 provided at the front end of the card is provided.
Slides on the surface of the guide portion 14, whereby the IC card 1 descends (FIGS. 1A to 4) or rises (FIG. 1B) according to the inclination angle of the slope 15, and the IC card 1 The contact portions 8 and 9 of the contacts 6 and 7 are elastically pressurized and contact the electrode pad 11.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 4, when the slope 15 at the front end of the IC card slides on the surface of the guide portion 14,
The front end of the IC card 1 is downward (FIG. 1A) or upward (FIG. 1).
B), that is, the entire IC card is rotated downward or upward from the horizontal state to the inclined state,
7 is formed under pressure.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, the guide 14
To the slope 15 synchronized with the slope 15 at the front end of the card, and the slope 15 ′ at the front end of the card is placed on the slope 14 ′ forming the guide portion 14.
Slides to obtain the lowering or raising of the IC card 1.

As another example, the slope can be provided on either the IC card side or the electronic device side. In FIG. 5, the guide portion 14 is formed as a slide like a projection, and the slope 15 slides on the slide to apply a downward force or an upward force to the IC card 1.

FIG. 6 shows that the guide 14 on the side of the electronic equipment provided in the card insertion chamber 4 has a slope 14 '.
The front end corner 15 'of the IC card 1 is guided by 4' to apply a downward force or an upward force to the IC card 1.

More specifically, in the example of FIG. 6, a slope 14 'corresponding to the guide portion 14 is provided in the card insertion chamber 4,
In the process in which the IC card 1 and the contact holder 5 follow each other, the front end corner 15 'of the IC card 1 comes into contact with the slope 14'. When the front end corner 15 'of the IC card 1 slides on the slope 14' with the insertion of the IC card 1, the IC card 1 is lowered or raised according to the inclination angle of the slope 14 '. The electrode pad 11 of the IC card 1 is raised by the contact 6
7 are brought into pressure contact with the contact portions 8 and 9.

The guide portion 14 or the slope 14 'is provided on the top plate 16 defining the card accommodating chamber 4 (FIG. 1A) or on the bottom plate 16' (FIG. 1B), or the contact holder 5 is attached to the bottom plate 16 '. Or, it is arranged adjacent to the free end of the top plate 16.

According to the present invention, only by forming the guide portion 14 or the inclined surface 14 'in the middle of the extension length of the top plate 16 or the bottom plate 16', the IC card 1 is driven downward or upward by utilizing the card insertion force. Can be given.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in order to guarantee the initial horizontal movement when the IC card is inserted, the card receiving port 3
Plate 16, 1 extending along the upper and lower surfaces of IC card 1 from
7 'and bottom plates 17, 16'.

In the case of FIG. 1A, the bottom plate 17 extending from the card slot 3 is connected, and in the case of FIG.
The C card 1 is provided so as to be able to rotate following the downward or upward rotation of the C card 1.

For example, the bottom plate 17 of FIG. 1A and the top plate 1 of FIG. 1B
The end of the card receiving port 7, which is on the card receiving port 3 side, is supported so as to be vertically rotatable about a shaft 18.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the IC card 1 is initially inserted, the top plate 16 or 17 'and the bottom plate 17 or 1 are inserted.
The bottom plate 17 and the top plate 17 'are moved horizontally by being guided by the guide plate 6' and when the guide plate 14 and the inclined surfaces 14 'and 15 are rotated downward or upward as shown in FIGS. On its free end side, it pivots downward against the spring 19 (FIG. 1).
A, FIG. 4) or upward rotation (FIG. 1B).

As shown in FIG. 7, the bottom plate 17 in FIG. 1A or the top plate 17 'in FIG. 1B is formed by a leaf spring, and the leaf spring is fixed at the end on the card receiving port 3 side, and the free end is formed. , So that it can be elastically displaced up and down.

[0035]

According to the present invention, the IC card itself is lowered or raised by the slope provided at the front end of the card or the slope provided in the card insertion chamber by utilizing the card insertion force to press the contact of the contact holder. Contact can be obtained.

Therefore, unlike the related art, there is no need to provide a link mechanism and an oblique groove cam for rotatably supporting the contact holder, and it is possible to solve the problem that the play of the link mechanism and the oblique groove cam impairs the reliability of contact. .

Further, the contact holder can be stably supported horizontally and the contact reliability is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A shows a contact structure between an IC card and a contact;
FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view showing an initial insertion state of a C card, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the contact structure with an initial insertion state of an IC card.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the contact structure showing a state where the IC card and the contact holder are engaged at the end of the initial insertion of the IC card.

FIG. 3 shows an IC inserted by inserting an IC card following FIG. 2;
It is sectional drawing of the said contact structure which shows the state in which the card started descending.

FIG. 4 shows an IC inserted by inserting an IC card following FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the contact structure, showing a state in which the card has completed descending and has come into pressure contact with a contact.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the means for lowering or raising the IC card at the end of insertion.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing still another example of the means for lowering or raising the IC card at the end of insertion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure that guarantees horizontal movement at the initial stage of insertion of an IC card and guarantees downward rotation or upward rotation at the end of insertion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 IC card 2 Electronic device 3 Card slot 4 Card accommodating room 5 Contact holder 6, 7 Contact 11 Electrode pad 12 Card contact part 14 Guide part 14 ', 15 Slope

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A contact holder that moves in the card insertion direction in accordance with the insertion of the IC card into the card insertion chamber, and the front end of the IC card in a process in which the IC card and the contact holder move in a following manner. A guide portion is provided for contacting the slope provided on the section, and the IC card is lowered or raised according to the inclination angle of the slope by sliding the surface of the guide section with the insertion of the IC card. A contact structure between an IC card and a contact, wherein the electrode pad of the IC card is brought into pressure contact with the contact held by the contact holder by ascending. 2. A front end of an IC card in a process in which the IC card and the contact holder follow the IC card when the IC card is inserted into the card insertion chamber. Provide a slope with which the part contacts, and insert the IC card
When the front end of the card slides on the slope, the IC
Lower or raise the card according to the inclination angle of the above slope,
A contact structure between an IC card and a contact, wherein the electrode pad of the IC card is brought into pressure contact with the contact held by the contact holder by the lowering or the raising.