JP3420010B2 - Card connector incorrect insertion prevention device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an erroneous insertion prevention device adopted in a card connector for use with a card such as a memory card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a card connector in which an electrode on the card side is electrically connected to an electrode on the card connector side when the card is inserted into the card connector, the card is inserted upside down. Then, both electrodes are often not properly connected. Further, the card inserted in the opposite direction may damage the electrodes on the card connector side, or the card and its electrodes may be damaged.

Therefore, in a card connector which is used under the condition that the card should be inserted in a normal posture (for example, with the surface facing upward), measures have been conventionally taken to ensure that the card is inserted in a proper posture. That is, various measures for preventing erroneous insertion have been proposed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, an action portion 12 having an inclined contour line is provided on one side of a tip portion of a substantially rectangular card 1, while a card insertion / removal path L on the card connector side is provided.
A positioning portion 21 inclined at the same angle as the action portion 12 is formed on the body 2 forming the action portion 12, and the action portion 12 is formed in the left-right direction (direction orthogonal to the card insertion / extraction path L extending in the front-rear direction). When the card 1 is inserted into the card insertion / removal path L with the same side as the alignment section 21, the card 1 is completely inserted to the back,
When the card 1 is erroneously inserted into the card insertion / removal path L with the side opposite to the alignment section 21, the front end 11 of the card 1 hits the alignment section 21 as shown by the phantom line in FIG. There is a thing that can not be inserted until.

On the other hand, by providing the card 1 with the above-mentioned operating portion and by providing the body forming the card insertion / removal path with an erroneous insertion detection member which is a separate member, it is determined whether or not the card insertion attitude is a normal attitude. There are also those that detect. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, an erroneous insertion detection member 3 made of a spring material is incorporated on either the left or right side of the body 2 forming the card insertion / ejection path L extending in the front-rear direction. The erroneous insertion detection member 3 has a plate-shaped movable piece portion 32 extending from a mounting portion 31 fixed to the body 2.
The detection plate portion 33 formed by bending the movable piece portion 32 at a right angle is provided at the rear end, and the detection plate portion 33 is connected to the card insertion / removal path L by the spring property of the movable piece portion 32. On the other hand, it is projected from the side.

In FIG. 9, when the card 1 is inserted into the card insertion / removal path L with the action portion 12 on the same side as the erroneous insertion detection member 3 in the left-right direction, the action portion 12 of the card 1 detects erroneous insertion. Since the detection plate portion 33 of the member 3 is abutted and the detection plate portion 33 is retracted to the side of the card insertion / removal path L as a virtual line, the card 1 can be inserted all the way to the back. However, when the card 1 is erroneously inserted into the card insertion / removal path L with the action portion 12 opposite to the erroneous insertion detection member 3, the tip portion 11 of the card 1 hits the detection plate portion 33 as shown by a phantom line in FIG. You cannot insert the card 1 all the way in.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, arrow A indicates the card insertion direction, and reference numeral 13 indicates an electrode forming area on the surface of the card 1.

[0008]

However, the conventional erroneous insertion prevention device described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 has the following problems.

In the erroneous insertion prevention device of FIG. 8, since the position where the alignment portion 21 is provided is limited to the front end portion of the card insertion / ejection path L, when the card 1 is erroneously inserted, the proper insertion amount of the card 1 is inserted. Card 1 that does not change much
I do not know that it is an incorrect insertion until I insert. Moreover,
Since it is not realistic to make the front-rear width D of the alignment portion 21 too large, the front-rear width of the alignment portion 21 is relatively short. Therefore, even when the card 1 is erroneously inserted, the card 1 is inserted by an amount that does not change the regular insertion amount, and it is difficult to determine whether the card 1 is a regular insertion or an erroneous insertion.

In the erroneous insertion prevention device of FIG. 9, the erroneous insertion detection member 3 is installed on either the left or right side of the body 2, and the detection plate portion 33 moves forward and backward with respect to the card insertion / removal path L. Since it is necessary to obtain the wrong insertion detection member 3
It is necessary to secure an installation space for one side of the body 2. Therefore, the overall lateral width W of the body 2 is expanded in proportion to the lateral width W1 of the installation space for the erroneous insertion detection member 3, and the entire card connector becomes large.

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and is based on the detection of an erroneous insertion of a card by using an erroneous insertion preventing member. It is an object of the present invention to provide an erroneous insertion prevention device that does not increase the size.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a card connector erroneous insertion preventing device in which the erroneous insertion preventing function is not easily impaired even when an erroneously inserted card is strongly pushed.

[0013]

A card connector erroneous insertion preventing device according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided with an action portion having an inclined contour line on one side of the tip portion, and a corner substantially perpendicular to the other side of the tip portion. The card that the department is equipped with is targeted for use,
In a card connector having a card insertion / removal path extending in the front-rear direction, a plate-like movable piece portion having elasticity extends backward from a mounting portion fixed at a fixed position, and a detection portion is provided at the rear end of the movable piece portion. Has a wrong insertion detection member provided with,
The detection portion of the erroneous insertion detection member is provided with at least one of a plate piece portion that is continuously provided from the rear end of the movable piece portion in the card removal direction and left and right edge portions of the plate piece portion. The detection plate portion includes a detection plate portion that is inclined downwardly from the edge portion and extends downward in the front-rear direction, and a contact portion that is formed by a rear end edge of the detection plate portion. The contact portion formed on the detection plate portion is protruded in the card insertion / removal path so that it can be retracted to the lower side of the card insertion / removal path by a bending deformation against elasticity, and the contact portion formed in the detection plate portion is in the card insertion / removal path. It is located in the passage of the action part of the card that is inserted and removed in a normal posture.

In the present invention, the detection portion of the erroneous insertion detection member is projected in the card insertion / removal path so that it can be retracted to the lower side of the card insertion / removal path by the bending deformation against the elasticity of the movable piece. There is. Also, in the passage of the action part of the card that is inserted and removed in the card insertion and removal path in a normal posture,
The contact portion of the detection plate portion provided in the detection portion is located. Moreover, the detection plate portion forming the contact portion by the rear edge thereof is inclined downward. For this reason, the action part of the card inserted in the card insertion / removal path in the normal posture is
When it is further pushed in the insertion direction after hitting the contact part,
A force is generated that pushes the contact portion downward, and this force causes the contact portion to retreat to the lower side of the card insertion / removal path while rubbing against the action portion of the card. So in the end,
The card rides over the above-mentioned detection unit that has retracted to the lower side of the card insertion / ejection path, and the card is inserted deep into the card insertion / ejection path.

On the other hand, when the card is erroneously inserted into the card insertion / removal path in the reverse direction, the other end of the card hits the contact portion. In this state, even if the card is further pushed in the insertion direction, the force of pushing the contact portion downward does not occur. Therefore, the card cannot be inserted deeper than that position, erroneous insertion is detected, and erroneous insertion is prevented. In this case, when the card is forcibly inserted, the pushing force at that time is applied to the detection plate portion as a force for pushing the detection plate portion forming the contact portion, but this detection plate portion is Since it has a shape extending in the front-rear direction at one of the left and right edges of the plate piece continuously provided from the rear end of the section, and has sufficient strength against the above-mentioned pushing force, The situation where the detection plate portion is deformed and the erroneous insertion prevention function is impaired does not easily occur.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the detection portion is provided at the rear end of the plate-shaped movable piece portion which extends rearward from the mounting portion fixed to the fixed position, the detection is performed. It is easy to make the position of the part close to the rear end of the card insertion / removal path, and by doing so,
It is possible to detect an erroneous insertion of the card and prevent the erroneous insertion by simply inserting the card into the card insertion / removal path.

The erroneous insertion preventing device for a card connector according to a second aspect of the present invention is the device for preventing erroneous insertion of a card connector according to the first aspect, wherein the detection plate portion hangs downward from each of the left and right edges of the plate piece portion. The pair of contact portions are formed by the respective rear end edges of the detection plate portions.

According to the present invention, the shape of the detection portion of the misinsertion detection member can be made symmetrical, so that the misinsertion detection member is provided on either the left side or the right side in the card insertion / removal path. Will be able to. for that reason,
It is possible to use a common erroneous insertion detection member regardless of whether the action portion is formed on the left side or the right side of the front end portion of the card.

A card connector erroneous insertion preventing device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the erroneous insertion detecting member is a work piece of one metal plate. The detection plate portion is formed by bending the plate piece portion.

According to the present invention, an erroneous insertion detecting member can be manufactured at low cost by punching or bending a single metal plate.

An erroneous insertion preventing device for a card connector according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the device for preventing erroneous insertion of a card connector according to any one of the first, second and third aspects, wherein the detection plate portion forming the contact portion is provided. The rear edge is located on a vertical virtual plane that is perpendicular to the card insertion / removal path.

According to the present invention, when the tip of the erroneously inserted card hits the hitting portion, no force for pushing down or hitting up the hitting portion is generated, so that a reliable erroneous insertion preventing action is exerted. It

An erroneous insertion preventing device for a card connector according to the invention as defined in claim 5 is defined by claim 1, claim 2, claim 3, and
According to any one of claims 4 to 5, a body for forming the card insertion / removal path is provided, and the attachment portion of the erroneous insertion detection member is fixed to a fixed position of the body.

According to the present invention, the body and the erroneous insertion detecting member can be integrally handled.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a card connector adopting an erroneous insertion prevention device according to the present invention and a card 1 to be used by the card connector, and FIG. 2 is an erroneous insertion prevention device. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the detection part 63 of the erroneous insertion detection member 6, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the detection part 63 of the erroneous insertion detection member 6 partially cut away. 5, FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line aa of FIG. 2 when a card is not inserted, FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line aa of FIG. 2 when a card is inserted, and FIG. Detection unit 63 of member 6
It is an enlarged perspective view which shows the modification.

The card 1 shown in FIG. 1 is similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. That is, an action portion 12 having an inclined contour line is provided on one side of the tip portion, a corner portion 14 having a substantially right angle is provided on the other side of the tip portion, and an electrode forming area 13 is provided on the surface thereof.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a card connector body, which has arm portions 51 and 52 for guiding the left and right edges of the card 1 on both left and right sides, and the arm portion 5 at the front end portion.
The beam portion 53 extends between the front end portions of the reference numerals 1, 52.
Further, the lower plate portion 5 extends between the left and right arm portions 51, 52.
4 are provided. Then, the left and right arm portions 51, 5
2 and the lower plate portion 54 form a card insertion / extraction path L extending in the front-rear direction. Contacts (not shown) are incorporated in the body 5, and these contacts correspond to the card-side electrodes formed in the electrode forming area 13 on the card 1 side.

The erroneous insertion detecting member 6 includes a mounting portion 61, an elastic plate-shaped movable piece portion 62 extending from the mounting portion 61 and having an elasticity, and a detection portion provided at the rear end of the movable piece portion 62. And a part 63. The detection unit 63 forms an angle θ from each of a rectangular plate piece portion 64 continuously provided from the rear end of the movable piece portion 62 toward the rear (card removal direction) and the left and right edge portions of the plate piece portion 64. A pair of left and right detection plate portions 65 and 66 that are inclined downward in a downwardly expanding shape, and a pair of contact portions 67 and 68 formed by the rear end edges of these detection plate portions 65 and 66, respectively. have. In the illustrated example, the erroneous insertion detection member 6 is a workpiece manufactured by subjecting a single metal plate to mechanical processing such as punching and bending, and the detection plate portions 65 and 66 are the plate piece portions 64. It is formed by bending.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an opening 69 elongated in the front-rear direction is formed on the right side of the lower plate portion 54 of the body 5, and the erroneous insertion detecting member 6 is arranged using this opening 69. ing. That is, the attachment portion 6 of the erroneous insertion detection member 6
1 is fixed to a fixed position of the lower plate portion 54 by using appropriate means such as press fitting, screwing, and adhesion. Then, the movable piece portion 62, which is continuously provided to the mounting portion 61 fixed in such a fixed position, extends to above the lower plate portion 54 through the opening 69. When the card is not inserted, the movable piece 62
Due to the elasticity of, the detection portion 63 provided at the rear end of the movable piece portion 62 projects into the card insertion / removal path L. Therefore, when the detecting portion 63 is pushed down, the movable piece portion 62
Bends and deforms against elasticity, and the detecting portion 63 retracts below the card insertion path L along with the movable piece portion 62.

Here, the detecting section 63 and the hitting sections 67 and 68.
Is a card 1 that is inserted into and removed from the card insertion / removal path L in a normal posture.
Is located in the passage of the action portion 12 of the. Also, the hit part 6
As shown in FIG. 4, the rear end edges of the detection plate portions 65 and 66 forming the portions 7 and 68 are on a vertical virtual plane P-P that is perpendicular (90 °) to the card insertion / removal path L. positioned. The rear edge of the plate piece portion 64 does not protrude rearward from the rear edge of the detection plate portions 65 and 66.

When the card 1 is inserted into the card insertion / removal path L in the normal posture as described above, as shown in FIG.
Of the erroneous insertion detection member 6 on one side of the contact portion 67 of
Hit When the card 1 is further pushed in the insertion direction A from this state, a force is generated to push the hitting portion 67 downward because the hitting portion 67 is expanded downward, and this hitting force causes the hitting portion 67 to push the card. The movable piece portion 62 is rubbed against the action portion 12 of No. 1 and is retracted to the lower side of the card insertion / removal path L while the movable piece portion 62 is deformed. Then, when the plate piece portion 64 retracts to the lower side of the card insertion / removal path L, the card 1 rides on the detection portion 63 as shown in FIG.
The card is passed over 3 and inserted into the card insertion / extraction path L as far as it will go.

On the other hand, if the card 1 is erroneously inserted into the card insertion / removal path L in the opposite direction, as shown in FIG.
The other side of the tip portion 11 of the hits the hit portions 67 and 68. As described above, the detection plate portion 6 having the contact portions 67 and 68 is formed.
As shown in FIG. 4, the rear end edges of the reference numerals 5, 66 are vertical imaginary planes P- which form a right angle (90 °) with the card insertion / ejection path L.
Since the card 1 is located on P, when the other side of the tip portion 11 of the card 1 hits the hitting portions 67, 68, even if the card 1 is further pushed in the inserting direction, the hitting portions 67, 68 are moved downward. No pushing force is generated. Therefore, the card 1 cannot be inserted deeper than that position, which causes
Incorrect insertion is detected and incorrect insertion is prevented.

By the way, when the card 1 is forcibly inserted after the tip portion 11 of the card 1 hits the hitting portions 67, 68, the pushing force at that time is the hitting portions 67, 68.
Is applied to the detection plate portions 65, 66 as a force for pushing the detection plate portions 65, 66. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the detection plate portions 65 and 66 are in the front-back direction (indicated by the arrow X).
Since the length X1 thereof is significantly longer than the thickness T of the detection plate portions 65 and 66 and the movable piece portion 62, it has sufficient strength against the pushing force. Therefore, the situation where the detection plate portions 65 and 66 are deformed by the pushing force to impair the erroneous insertion prevention function does not easily occur.

If the detecting portion 63 is set at a position near the rear end of the card insertion / removal path L as shown in FIG. 1, a mistaken insertion of the card can be detected by inserting the card into the card insertion / removal path L a little. In addition, there is an advantage that erroneous insertion is prevented.

In the illustrated example, an erroneous insertion detecting member 6 is provided on the right side of the body 5 so as to be suitable for a card connector which uses the card 1 having the action portion 12 on the right side of the tip portion 11 of the card 1. , Depending on the type of card,
It is also conceivable to have an action portion on the left side of the tip portion.
In this case, the erroneous insertion detection member 6 described above can be used as a card having a working portion on the left side of such a tip portion. That is, the erroneous insertion detection member 6 is provided with the detection plate portions 65 and 66 from the left and right edge portions of the plate piece portion 64, respectively.
Are hung downward, and their detection plates 65, 67
Of the erroneous insertion detection on the left side of the body 5 because it has a detection portion 63 in which a pair of contact portions 67 and 68 are formed by the respective rear end edges of the detection portion 63 and the detection portion 63 has a symmetrical shape. By attaching the member 6, it is possible to exert a function of detecting erroneous insertion of a card and preventing erroneous insertion.

Further, as described above, the detecting portion 63 of the erroneous insertion detecting member 6 in the illustrated example has only the contact portion 67 of the detecting plate portion 65 on the left side thereof when the card 1 is inserted in the proper posture. The working portion 12 of the card 1 does not hit the hitting portion 68 of the detection plate portion 65 on the right side. Therefore, as the erroneous insertion detection member 6 used in the card connector for which the card 1 having the action portion 12 on the right side is used, the detection plate portion 66 on the right side is omitted and the detection plate portion on the left side as shown in FIG. It is also possible that only 65 is provided so as to incline downward and the rear edge thereof serves as the contact portion 67. On the contrary, as the erroneous insertion detection member used in the card connector for which the card having the action portion on the left side is used, the detection plate portion 65 on the left side shown in FIG. 3 is omitted and only the detection plate portion 66 on the right side is omitted. It may be provided in a downwardly spread shape and the rear end edge thereof may serve as the contact portion 68.

In the above-described embodiment, the card insertion / removal path L is formed by the body 5 having the structure shown in FIG. 1, but the card insertion / removal path L is not necessarily shown in FIG.
It does not need to be formed by the body 5 having the configuration shown in FIG. 2, and may be formed by a body having another configuration, or may be formed by a member provided in the set side device to which the card connector is assembled. . Further, the contact on the card connector side provided corresponding to the electrode of the electrode forming area 13 of the card 1 may be provided on the body 5 or the set device side.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the card 1 has the electrode forming area 13 formed on the surface thereof. However, depending on the type of the card, a large number of contacts arranged side by side are provided at the tip of the card. The erroneous insertion prevention device of the present invention can be applied to such a card.

[0039]

According to the present invention, the erroneous insertion of the card connector does not cause an increase in the size of the card connector, and the erroneous insertion preventing function is not easily impaired even if the erroneously inserted card is strongly pushed. It becomes possible to provide a protection device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a card connector and the like adopting an erroneous insertion prevention device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a main part of an erroneous insertion prevention device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a detection unit of an erroneous insertion detection member.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view in which a detection portion of an erroneous insertion detection member is partially broken.

5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line aa of FIG. 2 when a card is not inserted.

6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line aa of FIG. 2 when a card is inserted.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a modified example of the detection unit of the erroneous insertion detection member.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a plan view of a card connector or the like adopting a conventional erroneous insertion prevention device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a plan view of a card connector and the like adopting another conventional erroneous insertion prevention device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 card 5 body 6 Incorrect insertion detection member 12 Working part 14 corners 61 Mounting part 62 movable piece 63 Detector 64 plate piece 65,66 Detection plate part 67,68 Hit part L card insertion / removal path PP Vertical virtual plane

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card having an action portion having a slanted contour line on one side of a tip portion and a corner portion having a substantially right angle on the other side of the tip portion is used and is provided with a card insertion / removal path extending in the front-rear direction. In the card connector, an erroneous insertion detection member in which a plate-shaped movable piece with elasticity extends backward from the attachment section fixed in place and a detection section is provided at the rear end of the movable piece The erroneous insertion detecting member has the detecting portion, which is one of a plate piece portion continuously provided from the rear end of the movable piece portion in the card removing direction and left and right edge portions of the plate piece portion. At least one of the edge portions is provided with a detection plate portion that is slanted downwardly and extends in the front-rear direction, and a contact portion formed by the rear end edge of the detection plate portion, wherein the detection portion is movable. The above card due to the bending deformation against the elasticity of one part The card that protrudes into the card insertion / removal path so that it can be retracted to the lower side of the extraction path, and the contact portion formed on the detection plate portion is inserted / removed in the card insertion / removal path in a normal posture. An erroneous insertion preventing device for a card connector, wherein the erroneous insertion preventing device is located in the passage of the action portion of the. 2. The detection plate portion hangs downward from each of the left and right edges of the plate piece portion, and a pair of the contact portions are formed by the rear end edges of the detection plate portions. An erroneous insertion prevention device for a card connector according to claim 1. 3. The erroneous insertion detection member is a work piece of a single metal plate, and the detection plate portion is formed by bending with respect to the plate piece portion. Device for preventing incorrect insertion of card connector. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a rear end edge of the detection plate portion forming the contact portion is located on a vertical virtual plane perpendicular to the card insertion / removal path. Three
The device for preventing incorrect insertion of the card connector described in any one of 1. 5. A body that forms the card insertion / removal path, and the mounting portion of the erroneous insertion detection member is fixed to a fixed position of the body. Item 6. A card connector erroneous insertion prevention device according to any one of Items 4.