JPH0312234Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention] (Field of Application of the Invention) The present invention relates to a connector for connecting an IC card used in small electronic computing devices and other devices of this type.

(Prior art and its problems) An IC card that is plugged into a small electronic computing device and supplies input information and writes output information has a memory formed in a plate shape connected to a connecting terminal as shown in Figure 1. It is formed by covering the connection terminal part 1 with a synthetic resin 2, but in this case, if a human body such as a hand touches the connection terminal part 1 during handling, there is a risk of destruction of the memory contents. Therefore, a movable shutter plate 3 for covering the connection terminal part 1 is generally provided between the surface of the memory board on the connection terminal part 1 side and the covering synthetic resin material 2.
When the IC card is inserted into a connector installed in a computer, etc., the operating claws 4 provided on both sides of the shutter plate 3 are pushed back and the connection terminals 1 are exposed, allowing the connection to be made. Further, when the connector is pulled out from the connector, the shutter plate 3 can be configured to automatically return to cover the connecting terminal portion 1 by the spring body 5 provided between the shutter plate 3 and the covering synthetic resin material 2. It is being said.

However, in the automatic return structure of the shutter plate 3 using the spring body 5 as described above, the thickness of the IC card becomes large because of the spring body 5, and the IC card becomes long due to the installation space, and the structure becomes complicated and expensive. invites change. In addition to this, it is also inserted into the connector.
In order to prevent the IC card from coming off due to the force of the spring body 5, it is necessary to apply contact pressure to the contacts that exceeds the force of the spring body. Therefore, it has been strongly desired to have a structure in which the shutter plate can be returned to its original position without using a spring body.

The present invention has been made with the purpose of providing an IC card connector that can meet the above requirements, and the details thereof will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

[Structure of the idea]

(Means for solving the problem) Figures 2a, b, and c are partially sectional plan views showing an embodiment of the present invention, a sectional view taken along line A-A', and a view taken along line B. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a spring body for operating the shutter plate, and the features of the present invention are as follows. That is, on both the left and right sides of the connector formed by holding the contacts 7 with the insulating block 6, there are guide legs 9 having opposing guide grooves 8 with the tip entrances cut out and each having a guide slope 8a for guiding the insertion of an IC card. In addition, each guide groove 8 is provided with a groove as described above with reference to FIG.
Immediately before the tip of the IC card enters between the contacts 7, a resuming protrusion 10 of the shutter plate is provided oppositely, against which the operating claw 4 of the shutter plate covering the connecting terminal part 1 hits. Further, in the longitudinal direction of each guide leg 9, a fixing groove 11 for a spring body for opening and closing the shutter plate and a long hole 12 for movable the spring body connected thereto are provided, respectively.

In addition to the above, a spring piece 1 for opening and closing the shutter plate is provided with a fixed base 13a at one end and a mountain-like protrusion 13b for opening and closing the shutter plate at the other end, as shown in FIG.
Make two pieces of 3 (for example, stainless steel pieces). Then, the fixed base 13a of the spring body 13 is press-fitted into the fixed groove 11 provided in the guide leg 9, and the convex protrusion 13b enters the guide groove 8 through the movable elongated hole 12.The IC card is activated. It is fixed by protruding into the guide groove 8 so as to abut against the claw 4 (see Fig. 1), and the shutter plate can be opened and closed by the following action without using a spring body for returning the IC card as in the conventional case. This is how it was done.

(Functions and Effects) When an IC card is inserted into a slot provided in an electronic computing device, etc., the operating claw 4 of the IC card C protrudes into the guide groove 8 as shown in Figure 4a. It collides with the mountain-like protrusion 13b of the spring body 13.
Therefore, the shutter plate 3 is pushed back in the direction opposite to the card insertion direction as shown by the arrow in the figure, and the connection terminal portion 1 of the card C is exposed. Further, when the card c is inserted, the actuating claw 4 pushes the chevron-like protrusion 13b of the opening/closing spring body 13 outward and passes through the chevron-like protrusion 13b for opening/closing, as shown in FIG. 4b. The exposed connection terminal portion 1 of the IC card C is inserted between the contacts 7 as shown in FIG. 4c to establish a connection.

Note that when the operating claw 4 of the IC card C passes the opening/closing mountain-like protrusion 13b of the shutter plate, the operating claw 4 moves upward due to the force based on one of the slopes _13b1 that returns upward as shown in FIG. 5a. There is a risk that the shutter plate 3 may be pushed in the same direction as the insertion direction of the card as indicated by the middle arrow A, and move the shutter plate 3 so as to cover the connection terminal portion 1. However, a protrusion 10 for restarting the shutter plate is provided in the guide groove 8a, and this is shown in Fig. 4c.
When the tip of the card C completely enters between the contacts 7, it hits the actuating claw 4 as shown in FIG.
For this reason, if the shutter plate 3 is completely attached to the connecting terminal part 1,
Even when the card C is covered, the shutter plate 3 is moved in the opposite direction to the insertion direction in synchronization with the insertion of the card C to expose the connection terminal part 1. Therefore, as described above, the shutter plate 3 which has been erroneously reclosed by the slope _13b1 of the mountain-like protrusion 13b does not become an obstacle and make insertion between the contacts 7 difficult.

On the other hand, when the card C is pulled out, the actuating claws 4 on both sides of the shutter plate 3 provided on the IC card are moved to the fourth position.
As shown in Figure d, the mountain-shaped protrusion 13b of the opening/closing spring body 13
, and push the shutter plate 3 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the card C is pulled out, as shown by the arrow in the figure. For this reason, the shutter plate 3 covers the connection terminal part 1 in synchronization with the pulling out of the IC card C, and when the cover is completed, the actuating claw 4 pushes the chevron-like protrusion 13b outward to form the chevron-like protrusion 13b as shown in Fig. 4e. It passes through section 13b. Therefore, the IC card C is pulled out from the electronic computing device with the connection terminal portion 1 covered by the shutter plate 3.
Note that when the actuating claw 4 passes through the mountain-like protrusion 13b,
As shown in FIG. 5b, the slope 1 of the mountain-like protrusion 13b
Due to the return spring force generated at _3b2 , the shutter plate 3 is pushed in the direction of arrow B in the figure to expose the connection terminal portion 1.

However, this can be sufficiently prevented by making the slope _13b2 a gentle slope and reducing the force of the return spring acting on the shutter plate 3.

(Modified Example) The present invention has been described above with reference to one embodiment, but the operating spring body 13 of the shutter plate may be formed of a spring wire as shown in FIG. 6a instead of being plate-shaped as described above. Alternatively, a coil spring body 13c and a mountain-shaped protrusion body 13d may be provided in the guide leg 9 as shown in FIG. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 6c, the guide leg 9
Various modifications may be made, such as forming the opening/closing spring piece 13 integrally with the opening/closing spring piece 13.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of an IC card, Figure 2 a, b,
c is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the spring body for opening and closing the shutter plate, and Figs. 4 a, b,
5c, d, and e and FIGS. 5a and 5b are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the present invention, and FIGS. 6a, b, and c are diagrams of modified examples of the present invention. 1... Connection terminal portion, 2... Covering synthetic resin material, 3
... Shutter plate, 4 ... Operating pawl, 5 ... Spring body,
6...Insulation block, 7...Contact, 8...
Guide groove, 8a... Guide slope for card, 9... Guide leg, 10... Protrusion for restarting shutter plate, 11... Spring body fixing groove, 12... Long hole for movable spring body, 13...
...Spring body for opening and closing the shutter plate, 13a... Fixed base, 13b... Mountain-shaped protrusion for opening and closing the shutter plate, 13
b ₁ , 13b ₂ ... slope, C ... IC card.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The connector has guide grooves for the IC card on both the left and right sides of the connector, and actuating claws provided on both sides of the shutter plate of the IC card protrude into these guide grooves so as to abut against each other, and are pushed by the actuating claws. A shutter plate opening/closing protrusion having a sinking return spring property and a shutter plate opening/closing protrusion facing each other are provided with the shutter plate reopening protrusion against which the operating pawl hits just before the tip of the IC card is inserted into the contact of the connector. A guide leg is provided to allow ICs to be inserted and removed into the above guide groove.
The operating claw of the card is pushed in the opposite direction to the direction of inserting and removing the IC card by the shutter plate opening/closing mountain protrusion to open and close the connecting terminal section by the shutter plate, and also operates when the connecting terminal section of the IC card is inserted into the connector. An IC card connector characterized in that a claw abuts against a protrusion for reopening the shutter plate to prevent the shutter plate from re-closing.