JPH0719629B2 - Card connector - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card connector having a contact opening / closing mechanism for zero insertion of a card such as an IC memory card.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a card connector that performs card insertion and zero insertion operation of contacts (contact opening / closing operation) without any cooperation.

These card connectors are provided with an operation unit for opening and closing the contacts, and the card is inserted after the contacts are opened to the non-contact position by lever operation, for example.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above card connector, the contact opening / closing operation must be separately performed prior to the insertion of the card, which is not only complicated but also the risk of erroneous operation cannot be avoided. Since there is no guarantee that it will be fixed, and there is no feeling of card insertion, there is a risk of contact failure due to insufficient card insertion or poor posture.

Further, when the contact opening / closing device is automatically returned, there is a complication that it is necessary to prevent the operation lever from returning with one hand and insert the card with the other hand.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and enables the opening / closing operation of the contact to be performed in conjunction with the card insertion operation, and at the same time, the card can be surely inserted into the contact position.

Means for Solving the Problems As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention mounts a card on a card tray provided in a card connector and inserts the card into a contact position. The card is moored while the contact pushing part at the front end of the card tray elastically displaces the contact to the non-contact position by the insertion force of the tray, and the card tray is automatically returned by the spring means to return the contact to the contact position. The device is configured to be held at the contact position to ensure contact with the contact.

That is, the formation of the zero insertion state and the securing of the contact position of the card can be performed by the same insertion operation of the card tray, that is, the card, and the formation of the zero insertion state and the contact state (formation of the open / close state of the contact) can be performed. Solve the complexity of performing the operation different from the input.

According to the present invention, the contact can be opened and closed properly in conjunction with the insertion operation of the card tray and the automatic return of the tray by the spring means, and at the same time, the card tray is in a zero insertion state at a predetermined insertion position (contact By forming the open state), the card inserted by the card tray is also brought to a predetermined position (contact position), and the card is securely contacted by the independent automatic return of the card tray and the cooperation of the card mooring device. Can be offered to a position.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the risk of contact defects due to insufficient card insertion or poor posture, and to eliminate the complexity of contacting by means other than the card inserting operation.

Further, the elastic force for opening the contact is applied to the card tray and is not applied to the card, so that the deformation and damage of the card can be effectively prevented.

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

Reference numeral 1 denotes a card case which forms a connector body formed by closing a cover 3 on 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 into and removed from the card insertion port 6 like a drawer, and a step portion formed on both end edges of the card tray 4 and a step formed on both inner walls 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 tray 4 is caused to protrude to the outside of the card insertion opening 6 in accordance with the spring 5. Card stopper 7 at the rear end
To prevent the card from jumping out and position it.

On the other hand, the card case 1 is provided with a contact for contacting the card 13. The contact has an elastic contact piece 8 for contacting a card, and the contact piece 8 is arranged parallel to the inner surface of the front end portion of the substrate 2 constituting the card case 1, and a male terminal formed at the base end portion of the contact piece 8. The portion 11 is planted on the substrate 2 so as to project to the rear surface side of the substrate 2, and the contact piece 8 is extended from the fixed end (planting portion) toward the rear end of the substrate (the card insertion port 6 direction). A contact portion 9 is formed on the middle portion, and a pressure sensitive portion 10 of the card tray 4 is formed on 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 sensitive part 10 and compresses it to elastically displace the contact part 9 from the contact position to the non-contact position. That is, a contact opening / closing mechanism that elastically displaces the contact arranged at the contact position to the non-contact position by the insertion force of the card tray 4 and returns the contact to the contact position when the card tray 4 returns.

Further, the card connector comprises a card mooring device which holds the card in the contact position.

The card mooring device moored the card 13 carried to the contact position by inserting the card tray 4 to the contact position, and the contact portion 9 of the contact returned to the contact position by the automatic return of the card tray 4 by the spring 5. Subject to contact.

A specific example of the card mooring device will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

The card mooring device is, for example, a latch member 14 that is disengaged from the rear end of the card, a latch actuating member 15 that actuates the latch member 14 to the disengaged position in timing, and the latch actuating member.
And a feed pawl 16 for actuating 15 in a timing manner.

The latch member 14 is composed of a relatively wide plate, and has a latch claw 17 formed by bending it in a hook shape at the end of the plate, and the end opposite to the latch claw is the card tray 4 described above.
Is rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 which is horizontally provided on the back side of the card and whose both ends are supported by both side walls of the card tray 4 on the base plate.
A latch claw formed by extending 14 from the center of the shaft 18 toward the card insertion slot 6 (on the rear end side of the card case) and forming the free end thereof.
A direction in which the latch member 14 is always disengaged by a return spring 19 wound around a shaft 18 so as to be disengaged from the central portion of the rear end of the card carried to the contact position at 17 ( The card 4 is urged toward the upper surface of the card tray and the latch member 14 is rotated toward the upper surface of the card tray against the spring 19.
Get engaged with.

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

Further, the latch actuating member 15 is formed by a pivoting member that pivots as shown in FIG. 4. For example, an eccentric portion is formed in the center of the pivoting member, and the eccentric portion is pressed by the latch member 14. The part 21 is formed, and the feed dog 22 is formed continuously at both ends or one end of the eccentric part. The rotating member is installed so as to traverse the back surface of the latch member 14, and both ends thereof are pivotally supported on both side walls of the board 2 of the card case 1.

On the other hand, a feed claw 16 is provided on the front end side rear surface of the card tray 4, the tip of the feed claw 16 is made to face the feed tooth 22, and when the card tray 4 is inserted, the tip of the feed claw 16 is fed by the feed tooth.
22 is pressed to rotate the latch actuating member 15 clockwise or counterclockwise, and the latch pressing portion 21 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise accordingly. The member 14 is pushed up to the engagement position with the card 13, the push-up is released by the other rotation, and the spring 19 returns the engagement release position.

When the latch member 14 is pushed and rotated to the engaging position,
This is done when the card tray 4 is inserted to insert 13 into the contact position, and the rotation return to the disengagement position is performed by reinserting the card tray 4 self-restored by the spring 5 to return the card 13
This is performed when ejecting from the contact position to the contact release position.

Further, the card 13 used for the above contact and contact release is shown in FIG.
As shown in A and B, the contact part 9 of the contact at the front end
A large number of contact points 23 are provided on the surface facing the contact points, and a shutter 24 is provided to shield or expose the contact points. The shutter 24 has a spring 25 for restoring the both ends of which is built in the card 13.
The contact portion 23 is exposed by being elastically held by and kept in a closed state by sliding the shutter 24 against the spring 25. The spring 25 also functions as a card ejecting means as described later. That is,
The spring 25 is compressed by opening the shutter 24 and stores the card ejection elasticity.

A guide groove 26 is formed at the arrangement end of the contact portion 23 and opens to the front end surface of the card and reaches both ends of the shutter 24. The both ends of the shutter are slid into the guide groove 26 to guide the sliding of the shutter. On the other hand, a pusher 27 as a spring sensing member is provided on the inner wall of the card case 1 so as to face the guide groove 26, and the pusher 27 is inserted when the card 13 is inserted into the case 1 by inserting the card tray 4. The guide groove
26, the both ends of the shutter 24 are pressed against the spring 25, and when the card tray 4 is inserted to the deepest part, the shutter 24 is completely opened and the contact 23 is exposed, and the spring 25 Is compressed and stored. This accumulated power is used as the ejecting power of the card 13. Also card tray 4
When the card is inserted to the deepest part, the front end pressing part of the card tray 4
At 12, the pressure sensitive portion 10 of the contact is compressed and the contact portion 9 is displaced to the contact release position to form a zero insertion state.

When the pushing force of 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, and the latch member 14 engages the rear end of the card and holds it at the contact position. When the card tray 4 is returned, the compression on the pressure sensitive portion 10 is released,
As a result, the contact piece 8 of the contact returns to the contact position, and the contact portion 9 thereof and the contact portion 23 of the exposed card 13 are elastically contacted.

When the card tray 4 is inserted again against the spring 5 from the above contact state, the pressing portion 12 at the front end of the card tray 4 presses the pressure-sensitive portion 10 of the contact and the contact release state of the contact is formed again. The disengaged state of the card mooring device is formed, after which the card tray 4 is returned by the spring 5. At the same time, when the mooring device is released, the stored force of the shutter shielding spring 25 built into the card 13 acts on the card 13 to close the shutter 24 and the card 13 itself is inserted into the card insertion port by the stored force. Eject with card tray 4 toward 6.

The configuration of the present invention will be further described with reference to the operation process of FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB to show the operation process.

First, as shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 6A, the card 13 is inserted into the card case 1 and mounted on the card tray 4, and is positioned by contacting the card stopper 7. At this time, the contact piece 8 of the contact is placed at the contact position, and the latch member 14 is guided by the small diameter portion of the latch pressing portion 21 of the latch actuating member 15 to release the pressing, and is retracted to the engagement releasing position.

As shown in FIGS. 5B and 6C and 6B and C, when the card tray 4 is inserted from the above state, the contact pressing portion 12 at the front end of the card tray 4 rides on the pressure sensitive portion 10 of the contact piece 8 and It compresses and elastically displaces the contact portion 9 to the contact release position to form a zero insertion state.

As shown in FIGS. 5D and 6D, in the process of further advancing the insertion of the card tray 4 and reaching the deepest part, the feeding claw
16 pushes one side locking step portion 28 of the feed dog 22 of the latch actuating member 15 and rotates it by a predetermined angle in the clockwise direction in the figure. As a result, the latch pressing portion 21 of the latch actuating member 15 is rotated by the same angle to push up the latch member 14 at its long diameter portion, rotate the latch member 14 upward against the spring 19 with the shaft 18 as a fulcrum, The latch claw 17 is engaged with the rear end of the card carried to the contact position so that the shutter ejects and card eject spring 25
Against, it prevents the jumping out and holds it at the same contact position. At the same time, the pusher 27 as 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 the shutter 24 is pressed against the spring 25 to open the card contact portion 23 to be exposed. To

Further, as shown in FIGS. 5E and 6E, when the insertion force by the fingers of the card tray 4 is released, the tray is replaced by the spring 5.
By this, it automatically returns to the state in which it projects from the card insertion slot 6. As a result, the contact piece 8 is released from the regulation by the contact pressing portion 12 at the front end of the card tray 4, returns to the contact position, and its contact portion 9 elastically contacts the contact portion 23 of the card 13 placed at the contact position. Leading to.

Next, when ejecting the card 13, the card tray 4 is again inserted into the case 1 as shown in FIGS. 5F and 6G and 6F and G. As a result, the contact pressing portion 12 at the front end of the tray rides on the pressure sensitive portion 10 of the contact piece 8 again and displaces the contact portion 9 to the contact releasing position.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5H and FIG. 6H, when the card tray 4 is inserted to the deepest part, the feed claw 16 of the latch actuating member 15 is moved by the feed pawl 16 with the contact piece in the unloaded state. The other side locking step portion 22 is pressed and rotated in the direction opposite to that in the case of FIG. 6D. As a result, the pressing portion 21 of the latch actuating member 15 is rotated in the same direction, the pressing of the latch member 14 by the long diameter portion is released, and the latch member 14 is engaged by the elastic force of the spring 19 by the guide of the short diameter portion. The card 13 is disengaged by retracting (rotating downward) to the release position. As a result, the card 13 causes the pusher 27 to be pulled out from the guide groove 26 by the elastic force of the spring 25 which also functions as the shutter return, and the shutter 24
While closing, the card 13 is ejected together with the card tray 4.

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

As described above, according to the present invention, the contact can be opened and closed properly in conjunction with the insertion operation of the card tray and the independent automatic return of the tray by the spring means, and at the same time, the card tray can be moved to a predetermined insertion position. By inserting and forming a zero insertion state (contact open state), the card inserted by the card tray can be brought to a predetermined position (contact position). It is possible to ensure proper contact by ensuring the contact position of the card, the return of the card tray alone, and the return of the contact to the contact position by cooperation of the tray self-return by the means and the card mooring device. it can.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the risk of contact defects due to insufficient insertion of the card or poor insertion posture, and to eliminate the complexity of contacting by means other than the card insertion operation. That is, since the formation of the open state (zero insertion state) of the contact and the formation of the insertion state at the contact position of the card are related to the insertion operation of the card tray for holding the card, for example, the contact opening / closing slider is used. There is no guarantee that the card will be fixed at the contact position, such as when inserting the card after opening the (zero insertion state), or due to insufficient insertion of the card due to zero insertion with no feeling of card insertion. Surely solves the problem of poor posture and problems such as contact failure.
The card can be properly brought to the contact position with the card tray having a feeling of card insertion, and the contact state can be properly brought about by the independent automatic return of the tray.

Further, the elastic force when the contact is opened to the contact releasing position is applied to the card tray and not applied to the card, so that the deformation and damage of the card can be effectively prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a card connector showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same connector with the card case opened, and FIG. 3A shows a shutter as a spring. FIG. 4B is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the same, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a latch actuating member, and FIG.
FIGS. 6A to 6H are sectional views taken along the line AA in FIG. 2 showing the operating state of the connector stepwise, and FIGS. 6A to 6H are FIG. 2B-B showing the operating state of the connector stepwise. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line, showing the operating state of the latch operating member and the feed pawl corresponding to the operation of FIGS. 6E to 6H. 1 ... Card case, 4 ... Card tray, 5 ... Spring for returning the tray, 6 ... Card insertion port, 8 ... Elastic contact piece forming contact, 9 ... Contact part, 10 ... Pressure-sensitive part, 12 …… Contact pressing part at the front end of tray, 14 …… Latch member, 15 …… Latch actuating member, 16 …… Feed pawl, 17 ……
Latch claw, 19 ... Spring for returning latch member, 21 ... Pressing part against latch member, 22 ... Feed tooth, 23 ... Card contact part, 24 ... Shutter, 25 ... Shutter return that also functions as card eject spring Springs, 26 …… pusher guide groove, 27 …… pushers, 28, 29 …… feed claw locking step.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A guard tray for mounting a card and inserted into the contact position together with the card is provided with a contact pressing portion at the front end of the card tray, and the contact pressing portion inserts the card together with the card tray. At the time, the contacts are arranged so as to be pressed to be displaced to the non-contact position, and at the time of independently returning the card tray, the contacts are arranged so as to release the pressing of the contacts and return to the contact position with the card. A card connector, comprising: a card mooring device for holding the card in the contact position when the tray is independently returned; and spring means for automatically returning the card tray independently.