JPH0981699A - Memory card - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a memory card whose protective structure for preventing the intrusion of dust into an electrical connection part and the electrostatic breakdown of a built-in electric element is simple and advantageous in terms of outside dimensions. SOLUTION: This memory card 1 is provided with a cover 4a constituting a part of the cover 4 for protection capable of covering a connector part 3 which is the electrical connection part with an equipment in nonuse and being moved to a position for exposing the connector part 3 against its own elastic force by receiving operation force at the time of mounting at the time of use. Then, at the time of use, accompanying the insertion operation of the memory card 1, the cover 4 is elastically deformed, the connector part 3 is exposed and electrical connection with an equipment body side is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a memory card, and more particularly, to a structure of a protection part around an electrical connection part of the memory card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a structure of a protection portion around an electrical connection portion of a memory card, Japanese Patent Publication No.
There is a memory card disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4-8877. This proposal relates to a structure for protecting an electrical connection portion and a memory element in a memory card having a memory element built-in. That is, it has a shutter that can open and close the opening of the electrical connection portion, and when the case is detached from the external device, static electricity is generated through the case and the electrical connection portion by closing the shutter. By not guiding it to the printed circuit board, electrostatic damage to the memory element, which is sensitive to static electricity, is prevented.

[0003]

However, the structure of the memory card disclosed in the above Japanese Patent Publication No. 64-8877 requires a shutter whose opening can be opened and closed, and the shutter slides back and forth. However, the structure is complicated, and the disadvantage of making the shape thinner is inevitable. Furthermore, there were problems such as an increase in card thickness.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has a simple protective structure for preventing dust from entering the electrical connection portion and preventing electrostatic discharge damage to the built-in memory element, and moreover, An object of the present invention is to provide a memory card which is advantageous in terms of external dimensions.

[0005]

The first memory card of the present invention covers the electrical connection portion when not in use and receives an operating force from the outside when in use to electrically resist the elastic force of itself. The cover is movable to a position where the connecting portion is exposed. When the memory card is used, a part of the cover is elastically deformed to expose the electrical connection portion and the electrical connection is performed in accordance with the insertion operation of the memory card.

A second memory card of the present invention is the above-mentioned first memory card.
The memory card includes an electrical connection portion provided on the front side surface portion, and a cover in which a portion that covers the electrical connection portion is integrally formed with a portion that covers the upper surface portion. In the above memory card, when used, the upper surface of the cover is elastically deformed in accordance with the inserting operation of the memory card to expose the electrical connection portion provided on the front side surface portion for electrical connection.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the memory card according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Also,
FIG. 2 shows an electronic device I to which the memory card can be attached.
It is a perspective view showing a state before being attached to a C recorder. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state immediately before the memory card is attached.

As shown in FIG. 1, the memory card 1 of this embodiment
The printed circuit board 2 is housed in the package, and the circuit board 2 includes a storage element such as a RAM and an IC in the package 1a.
An electrical connection portion to the connector 13 on the printed board 12 on the recorder body 11 side and a connector 3 having a connection socket 3a is mounted. The above connector 3
Is the package 1 on the printed circuit board 2 as shown in FIG.
It is disposed on the front side of the front side of a in the mounting direction.

A protective cover 4 is provided on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 2. The front surface and the front upper portion of the cover 4, which are part of the cover 4, are operated by an external force. In response to this, an L-shaped open / close cover portion 4a is integrally provided which can expose the connection portion of the connector 3 by elastically deforming from the closed state S1 to the open state S2.

Tapered cover opening / closing claws 11d, 11e on the side of the memory mounting portion 11g of the IC recorder body 11 are fitted on both sides of the opening / closing cover portion 4a on the front side of the mounting side of the package 1a. Possible recesses 1d, 1e are provided. In addition, to the left and right in the mounting direction of the package 1a, the memory mounting portion 11g of the recorder body 11 is provided.
Guide grooves 1b and 1c that can be fitted into the positioning guides 11b and 11c, respectively, are provided.

When the memory card 1 constructed as described above is mounted on the main body 11 of the IC recorder, the main body of the recorder is set with the mounting side of the memory card 1 facing the D direction as shown in FIGS. 11 is inserted into the memory mounting portion 11g. At the time of insertion, the opening / closing claws 11d, 11e of the main body enter the recesses 1d, 1e of the memory card 1 and gradually open / close the cover portion 4
Push a upward to open state S2. Further, when the memory card 1 is pushed to the final position, the pin portion 13a of the recorder connector 13 is fitted into the socket portion 3a of the connector 3 and is electrically connected. To remove the memory card 1, pull it out in the opposite D direction. In the detached state, of course, the open / close cover portion 4a has returned to the closed state S1 shown in FIG.

According to the memory card 1 of the present embodiment, a part of the cover 4 is opened and closed without providing a cover for the connector which is separate from the cover for covering the storage elements in the memory card, the printed circuit board 2 and the like. Despite the simple structure of functioning as a cover part, protection of the connector from dust and the like when the memory card 1 is removed from the device and protection of the built-in storage element such as RAM from electrostatic breakdown. Is possible.

Further, when the memory card 1 is attached to the device, it is not necessary to operate the cover opening / closing knob as in the conventional memory card, and it is sufficient to insert it from the direction D as shown in FIG. Therefore, the operability of loading the memory card is also improved. Further, since the cover does not have a sliding structure, the number of components is small and the memory card 1 can be thin. Also, when trying to insert the memory card upside down, the opening / closing claw 11d,
11e interferes and reverse insertion can be prevented.

Next, a memory card according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the external view of the memory card of FIG. 4 and the perspective view of the mounted state of the memory card in the IC recorder of FIG. The memory card 21 of the present embodiment is different from the memory card 1 of the first embodiment in that a connector as an electrical connection portion is composed of a gold-plated terminal arranged on a printed circuit board.

The other structures, that is, the positioning guide groove, the claw fitting recess, etc., have the same shape as that of the first embodiment, and are designated by the same reference numerals in FIGS. 4 and 5. Further, the main body 11 side of the IC recorder to which the memory card 21 is attached is also provided with a positioning guide 11b, a cover opening / closing claw 11d and the like as in the case of the first embodiment.

In the memory card 21 of this embodiment, a gold-plated terminal portion 2 for electrical connection is provided on a front side surface portion of a printed circuit board 22 on which a memory element and the like are mounted, which is a front side surface in a mounting direction.
3 are provided. The upper surface of the printed circuit board 22 is covered with a cover 24. In particular, the upper surface of the gold-plated terminal portion 23 is a portion integrally formed with the cover 24 and receives an operation force from the outside. Closed state S1 (Fig. 4
(See FIG. 5) and an open state S2 (see FIG. 5) are provided with elastically deformable flat plate-shaped opening / closing cover portions 24a. However, the cover 24 and the opening / closing cover portion 24a do not necessarily have to be integrated, and may have a separate structure. The memory mounting portion 31g on the IC recorder body 11 side is also provided with a contact piece group 33a of connection terminals 33 connectable to the gold-plated terminal portion 23.

When the memory card 21 of this embodiment configured as described above is mounted on the main body 11 of the IC recorder, the memory card 1 is the same as the memory card 1 of the first embodiment.
The mounting side of is inserted into the memory mounting portion 33g of the recorder main body 31 along the direction D. By the insertion operation, the opening / closing cover portion 24a is gradually pushed upward to the open state S2. Further, when the memory card 21 is pushed to the final position, the contact piece group 33a of the connection terminal 33 on the recorder main body side comes into contact with the gold-plated terminal portion 23 and becomes electrically connected.

To remove the memory card 21,
Similarly, it can be removed by pulling out in the opposite D direction. In the detached state, of course, the opening / closing cover 2
4a has returned to the closed state S1 shown in FIG.

According to the memory card 1 of the present embodiment described above, in spite of the simple structure in which a part of the cover functions as an opening / closing cover as in the memory card of the first embodiment,
Protection of the terminal portion from dust and the like when the memory card 21 is removed from the device, and the storage element, for example, R
It is possible to protect the AM from electrostatic breakdown.

Further, as in the case of the first embodiment, when the memory card 21 is mounted on the device, it is not necessary to operate the knob for opening and closing the cover, and it is only necessary to insert it. Also improves. In particular, in the case of the memory card of this embodiment, since the gold-plated terminals are used as the electrical connection portion, the thickness of the connection portion can be reduced, and the package thickness of the memory card 1 can be reduced. In addition, the reverse insertion of the memory card 1 is also structurally prevented for the same reason as in the case of the memory card of the first embodiment.

[0021]

As described above, in the memory card according to the first aspect of the present invention, when used, the electric device is brought into an electrically connected state by opening the cover, and when the memory card is removed from the device and not in use, the cover has its own elastic force. Thus, since the cover has a simple structure that covers the electrical connection portion in the closed state, it is possible to prevent dust from entering the electrical connection portion and electrostatic breakdown of the built-in electric element when not in use. In addition, the operability of mounting on the device is good, and the external dimensions are also advantageous.

A memory card according to a second aspect of the present invention is
In the memory card according to the first aspect, the cover of the electrical connection portion is formed integrally with the cover that covers the upper surface portion of the memory card, so that the structure of the cover can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a memory card according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before the memory card of FIG. 1 is attached to an IC recorder body.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view when the memory card of FIG. 1 is attached to the IC recorder body.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a memory card according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a perspective view when the memory card of FIG. 4 is attached to an IC recorder body.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ...... Connector (electrical connection part) 3a ...... Connector socket (electrical connection part) 4,24 ...... Cover 4a, 24a ...... Open / close cover part (cover) 23 ...... Gold-plated terminal (electrical connection part) ) S2: Open state (moved to the position where the electrical connection is exposed)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cover is provided which covers the electrical connection portion when not in use and is movable to a position where the electrical connection portion is exposed against the elastic force of itself by receiving an operating force from the outside when in use. A memory card characterized by that. 2. An electric connection part provided on the front side surface part, and a cover in which a part covering the electric connection part is integrally formed with a part covering the upper surface part. The memory card according to item 1.