JPH0547872B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a card connector such as an IC memory card,
In particular, it relates to a card ejection mechanism.

Prior Art In a card connector in which a card is inserted into a card slot and contacts provided on the card are brought into contact with contacts provided inside the card slot, the edge of the card that is slightly exposed from the card slot is touched with a finger. An ejection mechanism is provided for pulling out or applying force to the front end of the card within the connector.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when the card is pulled out by hand, there is an inconvenience in that it takes time and effort to pull out the card because there are few clues as described above. In addition, when an eject mechanism for pressing the front end of the card is provided in the connector, the structure becomes complicated, resulting in an increase in the size of the connector mechanism.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and relies on a spring member built into the card to eject the card. When the holding force that keeps the card in the contact position is released, the card can be automatically ejected due to the elasticity of the spring member. This is how it was done.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention, as a means for solving the above problems, provides a card with a spring member, and acts on the spring member as the card is inserted into the card insertion slot of the connector. A spring sensing member is provided, and the card is configured to be ejected by the stored force of the spring member, and the spring member also serves as a shutter return spring that shields and exposes the contacts provided on the card. It is configured to do this.

According to the present invention, when the holding force of the card inserted in the contact position is released, the card can be automatically ejected (released from contact) by the shutter return spring member built into the card, and the card can be removed from the card insertion slot. The card can be sufficiently exposed for easy removal, and since the shutter return spring member built into the card is used as the ejecting means, it is advantageous for making the connector thinner, and the card can be ejected outside the card insertion space. This does not lead to an increase in the size of the connector, unlike when a mechanism is provided.

Embodiments Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

Reference numeral 1 designates a card case that forms a connector body formed by closing a cover 3 to a substrate 2, and has a card insertion port 6 at one end. The card case 1 has a built-in card tray 4 that can be inserted and removed from the card slot 6 like a drawer, and there are steps formed on both side edges of the card tray 4 and steps formed on the inner walls on both sides of the card case. A return spring 5 is interposed between the parts, the card tray 4 is inserted into the card case 1 against the spring 5, and the card insertion slot 6 is inserted in accordance with the spring 5.
A card stopper 7 is provided at the rear end of the card tray to prevent the card from flying out to the rear and to position the card.

On the other hand, the card case 1 is provided with contacts for contacting the card 13. The contact has an elastic contact piece 8 for card contact, the contact piece 8 is arranged parallel to the inner surface of the front end of the board 2 constituting the card case 1, and a male terminal is formed at the base end of the contact piece 8. The part 11 is implanted in the board 2 to protrude toward the back side of the board 2, and the contact piece 8 is extended from the fixed end (implanted part) toward the rear end of the board (in the direction of the card insertion port 6),
A contact portion 9 is protruded from the intermediate portion thereof, and a pressure sensitive portion 10 of the card tray 4 is formed at the free end side of the contact portion 9.

Immediately before the card tray 4 is inserted to the deepest part, the contact pressing part 12 at the front end rides on the upper surface of the pressure sensing part 10, compressing it and elastically displacing the contact part 9 from the contact position to the non-contact position.
That is, a contact opening/closing mechanism is constructed in which the contacts placed at the contact position are elastically displaced to the non-contact position by the insertion force of the card tray 4, and the contacts are returned to the contact position by the return of the card tray 4.

Furthermore, the card connector includes a card tether for holding the card in the contact position.

The card mooring device moores the card 13 brought to the contact position by insertion of the card tray 4 into the contact position, and the card tray 4 is moored by the spring 5.
The contact returns to the contact position automatically and is brought into contact with the contact portion 9 of the contact.

Specific examples of the above card mooring device are shown in Figures 2 to 7.
This will be explained based on the diagram.

The card latching device includes, for example, a latch member 14 that engages and disengages from the rear end of the card, a latch actuating member 15 that operates the latch member 14 to the latched and disengaged position in a timely manner, and a latch actuating member 15 that operates the latch actuating member 15 in a timely manner. It consists of a feed claw 16.

The latch member 14 is made of a relatively wide plate, and has a latch pawl 17 bent into a hook shape at the end of the plate, and the end opposite to the latch pawl is attached to the card tray 4. The latch member 14 is rotatably attached to a shaft 18 installed horizontally on the back side and whose both ends are supported by both side walls of the board of the card tray 4, and the latch member 14 is inserted from the center of the shaft 18 into the card insertion slot 6 (at the back of the card case). A return spring 19 is wound around the shaft 18 and is arranged so as to be extended toward the rear end of the card and detached from the center of the rear end of the card carried to the contact position by a latch claw 17 formed on the free end thereof. The latch member 14
is always biased in a direction to release the engagement (toward the back of the card tray), and the latch member 14 is rotated toward the top of the card tray against the spring 19 to engage with the card 4.

In order to allow the latch member 14 to rotate up and down, a cutout is formed in the card tray 4 at the rear end, and the cutout space is used as a latch member installation space 20.

Further, the latch actuating member 15 is formed of a rotating member that rotates on an axis as shown in FIG. section 21, and a feed dog 22 is formed by being connected to both ends or one end of the eccentric section. The rotating member is installed across the back surface of the latch member 14, and its both ends are pivoted to both side walls of the board 2 of the card case 1.

On the other hand, a feed pawl 16 is provided on the back side of the front end of the card tray 4, and the tip of the feed pawl 16 is connected to the feed dog 2.
2, and when the card tray 4 is inserted, the tip of the feed pawl 16 presses the feed dog 22 to rotate the latch actuating member 15 clockwise or counterclockwise. is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, one rotation pushes the latch member 14 up to the engagement position with the card 13, and the other rotation releases the push-up and releases the spring. 19 to return to the disengaged position.

The latch member 14 is pushed up and rotated to the engaged position when the card tray 4 is inserted to insert the card 13 into the contact position, and the latch member 14 is automatically returned to the disengaged position by the spring 5. This is done when the returned card tray 4 is reinserted and the card 13 is ejected from the contact position to the contact release position.

Furthermore, a card 1 used for the above-mentioned contact and contact release.
3, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a large number of contact portions 23 are disposed on the surface of the front end facing the contact portion 9 of the contact, and has a shutter 24 for shielding or exposing the contact portions. The shutter 24 has a return spring 2 built into the card 13 at both ends.
5 to maintain a shielded state at all times, and by sliding the shutter 24 against the spring 25, the contact portion 23 is exposed. The spring 25 also functions as card ejecting means, as will be described later. That is, the spring 25 is compressed by opening the shutter 24 and stores card ejecting elasticity.

A guide groove 26 that opens at the front end of the card and extends to both ends of the shutter 24 is formed at the array end of the contact portion 23, and both ends of the shutter slide into the guide groove 26 to guide the sliding movement of the shutter 24. On the other hand, a pusher 27 serving as a spring sensing member is provided on the inner wall of the card case 1, facing the guide groove 26.
As the card 13 is inserted into the inner part of the case 1 by inserting the card tray 4, the pusher 27 is inserted into the guide groove 26, and both ends of the shutter 24 are pressed against the spring 25, and the card 13 is inserted into the inner part of the case 1. When the tray 4 is inserted to the deepest position, the shutter 24 is completely opened to expose the contact portion 23, and the spring 25 is compressed to store energy. This accumulated power is used as card 13's eject power. Further, when the card tray 4 is inserted to the deepest position, the pressure sensitive part 10 of the contact is compressed by the front end pressing part 12 of the card tray 4, and the contact part 9 is displaced to the contact release position to form a zero insertion state. do.

When the pushing force on the card tray 4 is released from the above state, the tray 4 is independently returned to the state before insertion by the spring 5. At this time, a card mooring state is formed by the operation of the card mooring device,
engaged with the rear end of the card by the latch member 14;
This is held in the above contact position. Card tray 4
As a result, the compression on the pressure sensitive part 10 is released, and as a result, the contact piece 8 of the contact returns to the contact position, and the contact part 9 and the exposed card 13 are
A resilient contact is made with the contact portion 23 of.

From the above-mentioned contact state, push the card tray 4 again with the spring 5.
When the card is inserted against the pressure, the contact disengaged state is established again, and the card anchoring device is disengaged, and then the card tray 4 is inserted.
is returned by spring 5. At the same time, the above card 13
When the mooring device is released, the stored force of the shutter shielding spring 25 built into the card acts to close the shutter 24, and the card 13 itself is inserted into the card slot 6 by the stored force. This results in ejecting the card along with the card tray 4.

The structure of the present invention will be further explained with reference to the operating process shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIG. 2, showing its operation process.

First, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A, the card 13 is inserted into the card case 1 and mounted on the card tray 4, and is positioned against the card stop 7. At this time, the armature 8 of the contact is placed in the contact position, and the latch member 14 is moved to the latch actuating member 15.
The latch is guided by the small diameter portion of the latch pressing portion 21, the pressure is released, and the latch is retracted to the disengaged position.

As shown in Fig. 5 B, C and Fig. 6 B, C,
When the card tray 4 is inserted from the above state, the contact pressing part 12 at the front end of the card tray 4 rides on the pressure sensing part 10 of the contact piece 8, compresses it, and elastically displaces the contact part 9 to the contact release position, resulting in a zero insertion state. Form.

As shown in FIGS. 5D and 6D, as the card tray 4 is further inserted into the deepest position, the feed pawl 16 engages the locking step 28 on one side of the feed dog 22 of the latch actuating member 15. Press and rotate it a predetermined angle clockwise in the figure. As a result, the latch pressing portion 21 of the latch actuating member 15 rotates by the same angle, pushes up the latch member 14 with its long diameter portion, and rotates the latch member 14 upwardly against the spring 19 using the shaft 18 as a fulcrum. The latch pawl 17 engages with the rear end of the card brought to the contact position, resists the shutter return/card eject spring 25, prevents the card from flying out, and holds the card at the contact position. At the same time, the pusher 27, which is the spring sensing member, is inserted into the card through the guide grooves 26 formed on both sides of the front end of the card, and presses the shutter 24 against the spring 25 to open it and expose the card contact portion 23. Make it.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 5E and 6E, when the insertion force by means of the card tray 4 is released, the tray returns to the state of protruding from the card insertion slot 6 by the force of the spring 5. As a result, the contact piece 8 is released from the restriction by the contact pressing part 12 at the front end of the card tray 4, returns to the contact position, and contacts the contact part 9 elastically with the contact part 23 of the card 13 moored at the same contact position. leading to.

Next, when ejecting the card 13, the card tray 4 is inserted into the case 1 again as shown in FIGS. 5F and 6G and 6F and 6G. As a result, the contact pressing portion 122 at the front end of the tray rides on the pressure sensing portion 10 of the contact piece 8 again, displacing the contact portion 9 to the contact release position.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5H and 6H, when the card tray 4 is inserted to the deepest position, the feed pawl 16 is inserted into the feed dog of the latch actuating member 15 while the contact piece is in the no-load state. 22 and rotates it in the opposite direction to that shown in FIG. 6D. As a result, the pressing part 21 of the latch actuating member 15 is rotated in the same direction, releasing the pressing of the latch member 14 by its long diameter part, and engaging the latch member 14 by the guidance of its short diameter part by the elasticity of the spring 19. The card 13 is retracted (rotated downward) to the release position and the engagement of the card 13 is released. As a result, the card 13 is ejected together with the card tray 4 while the pusher 27 is pulled out from the guide groove 26 and the shutter 24 is closed due to the stored elasticity of the spring 25 which also serves as a shutter return.

FIGS. 7A to 7D show the operating states of the feed pawl 16, the feed dog 22 of the latch operating member 15, and the latch pressing portion 21 as shown in E to H of FIGS. 5 and 6 (card eject operation). The operation shown is shown below.

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the present invention allows a card to self-return (card eject) using a shutter return spring member provided on the card itself, and increases the retention force of the card inserted at the contact position. When opened, the card is automatically ejected by the built-in spring member at the same time as the shutter is closed, and the card is fully exposed from the card slot for easy removal. Since the return spring member is also used as the ejecting means, it is advantageous for making the connector thinner, and the connector does not become larger than when the ejecting mechanism is provided outside the card insertion space. That is, by sharing the card-built-in shutter return spring for card ejection, the conventional ejection mechanism itself can be saved, contributing to miniaturization and simplification of the connector.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a card connector showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the connector with the card case opened, and Fig. 3A shows the shutter resisting against the spring. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the latch operating member, and FIGS. 5A to 5H are second diagrams illustrating the operating state of the connector step by step. Figure 6 A-A is a sectional view, Figure 6 A to H is a 2-B line sectional view showing the operating state of the connector step by step, and Figure 7 corresponds to the operation of Figure 6 E to H. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the operating state of the latch operating member and the feed pawl. 1...Card case, 4...Card tray, 5
... Spring for returning the tray, 6 ... Card insertion slot, 8 ... Elastic contact piece forming a contact, 9 ...
...Contact part, 10...Pressure sensing part, 12...Contact pressing part at the front end of the tray, 14...Latch member, 15
... Latch operating member, 16 ... Feed pawl, 17 ...
Latch claw, 19... Spring for latch member return, 2
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Pressing part for the latch member, 22... Feed dog, 23... Card contact part, 24... Shutter, 25... Shutter return spring that also serves as a card eject spring, 26... Pusher guide groove, 27... Pusher, 28, 29... Feed pawl locking stepped portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a card connector in which a card is inserted into a card slot and the contacts of the card are brought into contact with contacts provided in the card slot, a spring member is built into the card and the card is inserted into the card slot as the card is inserted. A spring sensing member is provided that acts on the spring member to store the force, and the card is ejected by the stored force of the spring member. A card connector characterized by having a configuration in which a return spring for an exposed shutter is shared.