JPH0452514B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (i) Technical Field The present invention relates to an electronic device, and more particularly to an electronic device that has a program function and can be removably attached with a memory card as an external storage device that supplies programs or data from the outside. It is related to electronic equipment.

(ii) Prior art Conventionally, in electronic devices such as electronic calculators that have a program function, a memory card that stores a predetermined program or data in advance is installed in the electronic device body as necessary. It is configured so that the functions of the main body can be expanded.

As a result, users of electronic devices can store necessary programs or data instead of having to operate keys on the electronic device itself to create complex programs or enter data. It is only necessary to connect the memory card that has been installed, which is extremely advantageous.

However, when a memory card is inserted into an electronic device, the electrical connection between the memory card and the device itself, which is a means of exchanging stored programs and data, is often done using a printed circuit board with contact patterns formed on it. A method is adopted in which electrical connection is made by fitting a printed circuit board into a card edge connector that is placed in the electronic device body and installed in advance on the main body of the electronic device.

1 and 2 show a memory card attachment/detachment mechanism in an electronic desktop calculator as an example of a conventional electronic device of this type.

In both figures, an electronic device main body 1 has an upper case 1a and a lower case 1b that are vertically butted or fitted into each other and are integrally assembled with screws or the like.

The front half of the upper surface of the upper case 1a serves as a keyboard section 2 for inputting various information.

A display section 3 for displaying input contents from the keyboard section 2 and calculation results is provided in the rear half of the upper surface of the upper case 1a.

A fitting hole 5 for attaching and detaching a memory card 4, which is an external storage device, to the main body 1 is formed on the side surface of the electronic device main body 1 at the abutting portion of the upper and lower cases 1a and 1b.

A printed circuit board 6 on which a plurality of connection patterns are formed for electrically connecting to the main body 1 is provided on the memory card 4 in a protruding manner.

A circuit board 7 is housed in the electronic device main body 1, and a card edge connector 8 is fixed to the end of the circuit board 7 by means of soldering or the like in correspondence with the fitting hole 5.

By fitting the protruding printed circuit board 6 of the memory card 4 into the card edge connector 8, it is electrically and mechanically held and signals are exchanged.

The card edge connector 8 includes a plurality of elastic contact pieces 9, and these contact pieces 9 are adapted to come into contact with the connection pattern of the memory card 4.

When this type of method is adopted, the contact pattern on the memory card's printed circuit board comes into sliding contact with the card edge connector each time the memory card is inserted or removed, which causes the contact pattern to wear out and cause poor contact over a long period of time. However, there was a drawback that good signal exchange was impossible.

(iii) Purpose The present invention was made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional technology, and its purpose is to provide an electronic device in which the reliability of attaching and detaching a memory card to and from the device body is significantly improved. There is.

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a pressure contact type connector is provided on the electronic equipment side, a rotatable lid is provided on the memory card storage section provided with the pressure contact type connector, and a rotatable lid is provided through the lid. A structure was adopted that allows the memory card to be pressed down, electrically connected, and mechanically held.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

(iv) First Embodiment FIGS. 3 to 8 illustrate one embodiment of the present invention, and in each figure, the same parts as in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this embodiment, a contact pattern 10 is provided on the top surface of the tip of the memory card 4, and a lid 12 that can be opened and closed is provided on the back surface of the lower case 1b of the electronic device main body 1.
A accommodating portion 13 for the memory card 4 is formed inside the lid 12.

A pressure contact type connector 11 that contacts the contact pattern 10 of the memory card 4 is provided in a part of the accommodating portion 13 .

Since this embodiment is configured as described above,
Opening the lid 12, fitting the memory card 4 into the accommodating portion 13, bringing the contact pattern 10 into contact with the pressure contact type connector 11, and closing the lid 12 allows complete electrical connection. Since the pressure contact type connector 11 and the pressure contact type connector 11 do not fit together or come into sliding contact with each other, there is no wear.

By the way, the openable and closable lid body 12 has its base end supported by a shaft 14, and the free end side includes:
A projecting piece 15 is provided that fits into a notch 16 formed at the end of the lower case 1b and engages with a projection 16a that projects inward from the lower edge of the upper case 1a. .

Further, on the outer edge of the free end of the lid body 12, a concavo-convex strip 17 is formed in correspondence with the protruding piece 15 so as to make it easy to hang the fingertip.

Further, the pressure contact type connector 11 has a plurality of compression contact pieces 18, and is provided in a state of slightly protruding into the housing portion 13 of the lower case 1b.

Further, the housing portion 13 is provided with a plurality of ribs 19 for positioning the memory card 4.

By the way, if the memory card 4 is inserted or removed while the main body 1 is powered on, the information in the memory card 4 may be destroyed.

(Second Embodiment) In order to prevent such accidents, as shown in FIGS.
A button 23, which is always pushed up by the leaf contact 20, is slidably fitted into a through hole 22 formed in the bottom plate of the accommodating portion 13.

Furthermore, a protrusion 24 is formed on the lid 12 side at a position corresponding to the button 23.

If such a structure is adopted, when the lid body 12 is closed as shown in FIG. 9, the button 23 will be pressed.
The switch is turned on, but if the lid 12 is opened, the switch is always turned off as shown in FIG. 10, and the data on the memory card 4 is not destroyed.

As the press-contact type connector 11, a so-called conductive connector may be used, which is made of an elastic member such as silicone rubber and has a large number of conductive parts arranged vertically and at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction.

Since this embodiment is configured as described above,
Since attachment and detachment of the memory card does not involve operations such as fitting and sliding contact, even if the memory card is attached and detached many times over a long period of time, the conductive parts will not be worn out and poor conductivity will not occur.

(v) Effects As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a pressure contact type connector is provided on the electronic equipment side, and a memory card storage section provided with this pressure contact type connector is covered so that it can be opened and closed. Because it uses a structure with a lid, there is no mating or sliding movement when inserting or removing the memory card, and there is no wear on the conductive parts, and there is no contact failure, making it possible to create highly reliable electronic devices. Obtainable.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a perspective view and a vertical sectional side view for explaining a conventional structure, and FIGS. 3 to 8 are for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view, and FIG.
5 and 5 are partially enlarged perspective views from the back to explain the main parts, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the memory card, and FIGS. 7 and 8 are views of the memory card before and after it is accommodated. A partially enlarged longitudinal sectional side view, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are longitudinal sectional side views of essential parts for explaining other embodiments of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Electronic device, 2...Keyboard part, 3...Display part, 4...Memory card, 10...Contact pattern, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Pressure-contact type connector, 12... Lid body, 13... Accommodating part, 15... Projection piece, 16... Notch part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an electronic device to which a memory card can be attached or removed, a part of the electronic device is provided with a memory card accommodating portion covered by a cover body that can be opened and closed, and a memory card is provided in the accommodating portion on the memory card side. An electronic device characterized by being provided with a press-contact type connector that comes into contact with a contact pattern. 2 The power is turned off when the lid is open.
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch that turns on the power when the lid is closed. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a conductive connector made of an elastic member and having multiple rows of conductive parts is used as the press-contact type connector.