JPH033093A - Ic card device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent circuit elements in an IC card and the data of a non-volatile semiconductor memory in the IC card from being destructed by allowing a discharge electrode to come into contact with a conducting part of the IC card to discharge static electricity charged in a human body carrying the IC card before both contacts come into contact with each other at the time of inserting the IC card into the main equipment body side connector. CONSTITUTION:The panel 6 of the IC card 1 is constituted of a conducting material and the conducting part electrically connected to the panel 6 is arranged on a part of the peripheral end face of the connector 3 of the IC card 1. On the other hand, the discharge electrode 8 to be brought into contact with the conductive part of the card side before the contact 5 of the connector 2 of the main apparatus side comes into contact with the contact 4 of the card side is arranged in the connector 2 so as to be optionally moved back and force. In the case of inserting the ID card 1 into the connector 2, the static electricity of a human body carrying the IC card 1 is discharged through the conductive panel 6 of the IC card, the conducting part and the discharge electrode 8 of the connector 2. Consequently, the circuit elements in the IC card or data stored in the non-volatile semiconductor can be prevented from being destructed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an IC card device comprising an IC card incorporating a semiconductor IC such as a volatile semiconductor memory, and a main device into which the IC card is installed. This document relates to a structure that prevents inconveniences caused by static electricity charged in a human body being discharged when an IC card is inserted into a connector on the main device side.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, there has been a device of this type as shown in FIG.

In the figure, 1. is a memory card with built-in volatile semiconductor memory, 2o is a connector on the main device side, 3o is a connector on the card side, 4o is a female contact of the card side connector 2°, 5o is a contact pin of the 2° connector on the main device side, 6o is a The 1° panel of the memory card is 7°, and the frame is 1° of the memory card.

Next, the operation when manually inserting the memory card 1° into the main device side connector 2° will be described.

In FIG. 3, a memory card l is held by a human hand charged with static electricity. When inserting the memory card into the main device side connector 2°, first insert the frame 7° of the memory card 1°,
The guide peripheral wall of the main device side connector 2° comes into contact with the frame 7° and the main body [1 side connector 2°'s peripheral wall are both made of insulating resin, so static electricity charged on the human body is discharged. does not occur.

Furthermore, connect the memory card l to the connector 2° on the main device side.

As the insertion progresses, the moment when the female contact 4° of the memory card 1° comes into contact with the contact pin 5° on the main device side,
Or just before that, static electricity from the human body is discharged via the female contact 4° and the contact pin 5°.

As a result, an excessive discharge current flows instantaneously on the wiring board pattern inside the memory card 1, and depending on the magnitude of this discharge current or the path of the wiring pattern through which the discharge current flows, the memory card 10 may Even if the internal elements of the memory card are destroyed or not destroyed, the memory card l. The potential of the control input terminal of the internal volatile semiconductor memory fluctuates, causing destruction of internally held data.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in conventional IC card devices, when a statically charged person holds an IC card in their hand and inserts it into the connector on the main device side, the There is a problem in that electrostatic discharge occurs, which destroys circuit elements inside the IC card and destroys data held in the volatile semiconductor memory.

The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and when inserting an IC card into the connector on the main device side,
An object of the present invention is to prevent destruction of circuit elements inside an IC card and destruction of data held in a volatile semiconductor memory due to discharge of static electricity charged in a human body.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above problems, the present invention provides an IC card having a semiconductor IC and an external connection connector,
In an IC card device comprising a main unit having a connector to which a C card is detachably attached, the panel of the IC card is made of a conductive material, and a conductive part electrically connected to the panel is connected to the IC card. On the other hand, on the connector on the main device side, a discharge electrode that contacts the conductive part on the card side can be moved back and forth before the contact contacts the contact on the card side. Established.

(Function) In the present invention having the above configuration, when inserting the IC card into the connector on the main device side, first, the discharge electrode on the main device side contacts the conductive part located near the connector of the IC card, and the IC card is inserted into the connector on the main device side. The static electricity held by the human body is discharged through the conductive panel of the IC card, the conductive part, and the discharge electrode of the connector on the main device side. Then, after the static electricity is discharged, the contacts on the IC card side and the contacts on the main device side are connected.

(Example) Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained based on an illustrated example. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a separated state of a memory card as an IC card. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device, showing a state in which a memory card is installed.

1 and 2, 1 is a memory card containing a volatile semiconductor memory, 2 is a connector on the main unit side for connecting the memory card 1 to the main unit, 3 is a connector on the memory card 1 side, and 4 is a connector on the main unit side. 5 is a female contact of the card side connector 3, and 5 is a contact pin of the main device side connector 2.

The main body of the memory card I is composed of a panel 6 made of a conductive material and a frame 7 made of an insulating resin. The panel 6 covers both the front and back surfaces of the memory card 1, and a portion of the panel 6 extends to the end surface on the connector 3 side to surround the connector 3.

On the other hand, inside the main device side connector 2, a discharge electrode 8 is provided so as to be movable forward and backward by a spring.

The discharge electrodes 8 are located on both sides of the row of contact pins 5 and protrude forward from the contact pins 5, and their potential is the same potential as the ground potential of the frame 9 provided on the connector 2 on the main device side or the signal ground. is set to .

In the illustrated example, the discharge electrode 8 is made of a rod that can be slid in the length direction, and the spring 8a is wound around it. However, the discharge electrode 8 is constructed entirely of a metal plate having spring properties. In short, it is sufficient as long as the tip portion can move forward and backward in the insertion direction of the memory card 1.

Next, the operation and effects of the above configuration will be explained.

The panel 6 of the memory card 1 held by the hand charged with static electricity has the same potential as the static electricity of the human body.

This memory card! When inserting into the main device side connector 2, first of all, the parts of the panel 6 located on both sides of the connector 3 and the discharge electrodes 8 of the main device side connector 2 come into contact.

As a result, the static electricity charged on the human body is removed by human hands, the panel 6,
Via the discharge electrode 8, it is discharged to the frame ground or signal ground of the main device.

As the memory card 1 is further inserted, by the time the female contacts 4 on the card side come into contact with the contact pin 5 on the main device side, the static electricity in the human body has been surely discharged via the discharge electrode 8. , female contact 4 and contact bottle 5, no electrostatic discharge occurs.

Therefore, electrostatic discharge current will not flow on the volatile semiconductor memory inside the memory card or on the wiring board pattern on which other circuit elements are mounted. , data held in the volatile semiconductor memory in the memory card will not be destroyed.

It goes without saying that the present invention is applicable not only to memory-only IC card devices but also to other types of IC card devices.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, when an IC card is inserted into the connector on the main device side, the discharge electrode first contacts the conductive part of the IC card before the contacts of the two contact each other. Since static electricity is discharged from the human body, no static electricity discharge current flows into the IC card or the internal elements of the main device.

Therefore, when the IC card is inserted, the circuit elements inside the IC card will not be destroyed due to electrostatic discharge, and the data in the volatile semiconductor memory inside the card will not be destroyed, making it possible to provide a highly reliable IC card device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 relate to one embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a state in which the card is separated, and FIG.
The figure is a plan view showing a state in which a card is installed, and FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of a conventional example. ! ...Memory card 2...Main device side connector 3...Card side connector 4...Female contact 5...Contact bin 6...Panel 8...Discharge electrode Fig. 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In an IC card device comprising an IC card having a semiconductor IC and a connector for external connection, and a main unit having a connector to which the IC card is detachably attached, the panel of the IC card is made of a conductive material. At the same time, a conductive part that is electrically connected to this panel is provided on a part of the peripheral edge surface of the connector of the IC card, while a conductive part that is electrically connected to this panel is provided on the connector on the main device side so that its contacts contact the contacts on the card side. An IC characterized in that a discharge electrode that contacts the conductive portion on the card side is provided in the front so that it can move forward and backward.
card device.