KR20030090775A - Detection switch mounted in a card socket - Google Patents

Abstract

The detection switch mounted to the card socket includes a contact member that responds to the insertion of the card into the card socket. The switch comprises two or more contact members of the same design, each contact member having a switch contact formed on the opposite end. The switch contact at one end has a front contact section formed in the card width-parallel plane defining the first switch contact. The switch contact of the other end has a rear contact section formed in the card thickness-parallel direction and defines a second switch contact facing the first contact. Insertion of the card into the card socket moves the first switch contact in the card width-parallel plane toward the second switch contact in the card thickness-parallel direction such that the second contact is contacted and rubbed by the first contact.

Description

Detection switch mounted in card socket {DETECTION SWITCH MOUNTED IN A CARD SOCKET}

Conventional card sockets include a card receiving space for accommodating a card, such as a memory or SD card, and a detection switch for detecting the presence and insertion of a card. Such a detection switch includes a contact member that responds to the insertion of the card into the card receiving space.

Figure 14 shows a conventional card socket for such a card. As shown, the card 101 is a card receiving space 102 of a socket housing 100 having first, second and third contact pieces 103, 104, 105 mounted on one longitudinal side of the housing. Is inserted into the. The first and third contact pieces 103 and 105 are configured to be deflected during insertion of the card 101. For example, the second and third contact pieces 104, 105 constitute a first switch used to detect the presence of a card, and the first and second contact pieces 103, 104 are second, such as write protection. Configure the second switch used for the function. In this second function, the card 101 includes a movable piece 106 on one longitudinal side, and the deflection of the first contact piece 103 of the write-protection detection switch to the position of the movable piece on the card 101. Due to the control.

Another example of a detection switch is shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-97110, which includes a contact member that responds to the insertion of a card to move in a direction parallel to the thickness of the card until the card contacts the engagement switch contact. do. Moreover, another example of the detection switch includes a contact member that responds to the insertion of the card by rubbing the engagement switch contact (see Japanese Patent No. 2973402).

The contact member of the detection switch is likely to collect particles of foreign matter or to have an oxide coating formed thereon, and thus in particular in a detection switch that does not include a wiping action as shown in the conventional switch of FIG. Contributes to unstable switching conditions.

In addition, conventional detection switches use complex stamping dies and contact members of different shapes and sizes that require a composite portion to construct the detection switch. This contributes to relatively high manufacturing, assembly and inventory costs throughout, and does not allow for effective cost reduction for sockets with switches. For example, the detection switch of Fig. 11 uses three different types of contact members, and another conventional detection switch uses two different types of contact members. If combined, the two detection switches need to use three different kinds of contact members. This type of design need not be cost effective or simple.

The present invention relates to a card socket for receiving carded media such as a memory card or SD card, and more particularly to a detection switch mounted in a card socket for detecting the presence of a card and / or preventing write-access to the card. It is about.

1 is an enlarged perspective view of a contact member constituting a detection switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the detection switch shown in FIG.

3 is a plan view of a card socket equipped with a detection switch according to the present invention.

4 is a bottom view of the card socket.

5 is a left side view of the card socket.

6 is a right side view of the card socket.

7 is a rear view of the card socket.

8 is a front view of the card socket.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the card socket with the metal shield removed.

10 is a perspective view of three contact members constituting two detection switches.

Figure 11 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a generally closed switch shape.

12 is a plan view of the detection switch of FIG.

Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of two contact members of the second embodiment of the detection switch shown in Figures 11 and 12;

Fig. 14 shows a card socket equipped with a conventional detection switch.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a detection switch for a card socket that uses a wiping operation to ensure that the switching operation is stable and to ensure stability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a detection switch for a card socket using a contact member of the same design as it allows a reduction in manufacturing cost.

In order to achieve these objects, the contact member is designed according to the present invention so that one is configured to move in the card width-parallel plate and is contacted by the front end of the card when inserted into the card receiving space, and the other is the card thickness. Contact sections formed on opposing ends of the contact member configured to move in the parallel direction.

Specifically, the detection switch includes a contact member mounted in the card receiving space of the card socket and responsive to the insertion of the card into the card receiving space and including two or more contact members, each of which has contact sections formed on opposite ends thereof. And at one end the contact section has a front contact formed in a card width-parallel plane in which the card is included when inserted into the card receiving space, the front contact defining a first switch contact formed on one side and And the contact section of the other end has a rear contact formed in the card thickness-parallel direction, wherein the rear contact section inserts the card into the card receiving space to move the first switch contact to the card width-parallel plane and to the second switch. The rear contact section in comparison with the first switch contact by deflecting the contact in the card thickness-parallel direction. Define a second switch formed on one side of the Sean.

The single detection switch can be constructed by arranging two contact members in series with a first contact of one of the contact members disposed adjacent to a second contact of the other contact member, thereby providing a first insertion of the card into the card socket. 1 Make the contact rub the second contact. The series of two detection switches can be configured by arranging three contact members in series while cutting and removing the first contact piece of the head contact member, and cutting and removing the second contact piece of the tail contact member. Each contact member is of the same design with a first contact formed on one end and a second contact formed on the other end. Such contact members can be produced by stamping or forming thin metal sheets or by pressing circular, oval, triangular or rectangular metal bars into desired shapes.

In use, when the card is inserted into the card socket, the front end of the card moves as long as the first contact moves in the card width-parallel plane until the first contact reaches the second contact of the rear contact section of the other contact member. In contact with the front contact section. In addition, the insertion of the card into the card socket moves the second contact in the card thickness-parallel direction while causing the first contact to rub the second contact.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be seen from the following description of an electrical connector assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly stated in the appended claims. The invention, together with the objects and advantages, is best understood by reference to the following description, wherein reference signs are obtained by identifying elements in the drawings and taken with respect to the enclosed drawings.

1 shows a detection switch 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention, removed from the housing 31 of the card socket 30. A card medium 33, such as a memory, IC or SD card, is inserted into the card receiving space 32 of the card receiving socket 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow 34, and the detection switch 10 is identical to the insertion of the card. Direction on one longitudinal side of the housing (see FIG. 4). The first embodiment of the detection switch 10 includes two contact members 11A and 11B which respond to the insertion of the card 33 into the card receiving space 32 as described below.

1 shows contact members 11A and 11B arranged in series with a front contact section of a subsequent contact member 11A overlapping a rear contact section of the leading contact member 11B in the card insertion direction as indicated by arrow 34. An enlarged view is shown. The front contact section of the subsequent contact member 11A is formed in the "V" shape in the card width-parallel plane in which the card 33 is included, so that the upward inclination 12 in the "V" shape causes the card 33 to be inserted when the card is inserted. ) Face the front end. As shown in Fig. 2, the rear contact section of the tip contact member 11B includes an inclusion plane 13 formed downward from the flat plane.

Still referring to FIG. 2, part of the inclined plane 13 of the rear contact section of the contact member 11B is the lower side 12a of the upward inclined portion 12 and the opposite side 13a of the inclined plane 13. With a gap therebetween, it is coplanar with the upward inclined portion 12 of the front contact section of the contact member 11A in the card width-parallel plane. Accordingly, the lower side 12a of the upwardly inclined portion 12 and the opposite side 13a of the inclined plane 13 supply the first switch contact portion 13 and the second switch contact portion 15 of the detection switch 10. do. During operation of the switch, the downwardly inclined portion 16 adjacent to the upwardly inclined portion 12 of the "V" -shaped contact piece is installed below the plane 17 adjacent to the inclined plane 13.

Referring again to FIG. 1, when the card is inserted into the socket housing 31 in the direction indicated by the arrow 34, the edge 33a of the front end of the card 33 is upward of the subsequent contact member 11A. In contact with the inclined portion 12, the “V” shaped contact section is deflected outward as indicated by the arrow 35 and the first contact 14 is in contact with the second contact 25. Thus, the "normal open" detection switch 10 is closed and "turned on" to detect the insertion of the card 15.

In addition, the insertion of the card 33 into the socket 30 acts on the inclined surface 13 forcing the force in the card thickness-parallel direction as indicated by the arrow 36, while simultaneously removing foreign matter and / or oxide coating. In order to move the inclined portion 12 in the direction of the arrow 35, the inclusion plane 13 is rubbed with the first contact portion 14. Thus, a stable switching function is guaranteed.

3 and the accompanying drawings, the card socket 30 equipped with the detection switch assembly according to the present invention has an insulated plastic housing having a “U” shape as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 9. . The “U” shaped housing 31 has a card receiving space 32 between opposing side pieces 37 for receiving the card 33. The card receiving space 32 is covered by a metal cell 38 mounted in the card housing 31.

The transverse end piece 39 is integrally connected with the opposing side pieces 37 and defines an end of the card receiving space 32. The transverse end piece 39 has a plurality of terminals 40 transversely, each terminal 40 having a contact piece 41 extending into the card receiving space 32 and having a corresponding contact portion in the card 33 ( And mechanical and electrical contact). Each terminal 40 also has a tail piece 42 extending out of the transverse end piece 39 for soldering to a corresponding conductor pad on the underlying printed circuit board.

As shown in FIG. 4, a further embodiment of a detection switch assembly is shown. This detection switch assembly is mounted to the socket housing 31 along the right longitudinal side 37 (shown in FIG. 4). The detection switch assembly comprises three similar contact members 11A, 11B, 11C arranged in series, each having two different switch contacts formed on opposite ends. One detection switch 10 is composed of a subsequent contact member 11A and an intermediate contact member 11B, and the other detection switch 10 is composed of a tip contact member 11C and an intermediate contact member 11B.

Referring to FIG. 10, each contact member has a "V" shaped front contact section 19 at one end and a ramp-shaped rear contact section 20 at the other end as described above with respect to the contact shown in FIG. It is made of a stamped and molded metal sheet with). Specifically, the front contact section 10 is composed of adjacent upward and downward slopes 12, 16, and the rear contact section 20 is composed of adjacent flat downward slopes 17 and up and down slopes 13. . The tip contact member 11C has only a rear contact section and no front contact section.

As in the two contact switch embodiments, the contact members 11A, 11B, 11C are arranged in a straight line, insert the bag 18 into the longitudinal groove 43 and position the engaging piece 18a at the side of the housing. By attaching it to the longitudinal side piece 37 (see Fig. 10). The front contact section 19 of the contact members 11A, 11B protrudes into the card space 32, and the front contact section is the front end 33a of the card 33 when the card is inserted into the card space 32. To move outward. In addition, the rear contact section 20 of the contact members 11B, 11C faces the front contact section 19, and the rear contact section is inclined 12 when the card 33 is inserted into the card space 32. To move downward. Thus, two detection switches 10 are provided.

The bag 18 of each contact member has a tail 21 extending perpendicular to its length. The tail 21 is coplanar with the bottom of the housing 31 when the contact member is mounted in the housing, so that the tail 21 can be soldered to a corresponding pad of a printed circuit board (not shown).

When the card 33 is inserted into the socket 30, the front end 33a of the card 33 is in contact with the contact section 19 of the contact member 11A, and thus the contact section 20 of the contact member 11B. The second contact 15 of) is rubbed by the first contact 14 of the contact section 19 of the contact member 11A. Thus, the normal open detection switch 10 is now closed.

The further insertion of the card 33 into the socket housing 31 causes the second contact 15 of the contact section 20 of the contact member 11C to contact the first contact 14 of the contact section 19 of the contact member 11B. ), The contact section 19 of the contact member 11B is moved in the card width-parallel direction. Again, the second normal open detection switch is now closed.

Thus, the two detection switches can be operated sequentially by the card 33. Such a detection switch usually has a contact member 11B. One of the detection switches consists of a contact member 11B and a contact member 11C, and is used to detect the presence of a card in the socket. The other detection switch is composed of the contact member 11A and the contact member 11B, and can be used, for example, to prevent write access to the card. For that purpose, the front contacting section 19 of the contact member 11A encounters the movable piece 106 of the card 33 when the card is inserted into the card socket (FIG. 11).

In the assembly, regardless of how many detection switches are used or configured, each consists of contact members of the same design using the same stamping die and is arranged in series, so that the manufacturing unit costs are each manufactured in different parts. Can be reduced compared to detection switches. The first and last contacts in the series are selectively modified to remove portions of the contact member that are not used as part of the switch. For example, the contact member 11C is changed by removing the front contact section 19. As such, the contact member 11A is reduced in length by removing the rear contact section 20. Clearly this contributes to the scale down throughout the card socket 30.

The socket housing 31 also includes a card retaining mechanism and a card ejecting mechanism attached to the other longitudinal side 37 (ie, left in Fig. 4).

As shown in Fig. 9, the card ejection mechanism has an ejection rod 44 rotatably fixed to the longitudinal side piece 37, and the longitudinal side piece 37 and the transverse end piece 39 are integrally connected. It is composed of a discharge lever 45 rotatably fixed to the corner. The discharge rod 44 has a push-button 46 at its end and slides inward of the longitudinal side 37 of the socket housing 31 when a force is applied to the push button 46. Move.

As shown in Fig. 9, the rotary discharge lever 45 has a protruding end 45a facing the discharge end 44a of the discharge rod 44 and an extension arm extending generally along the transverse end piece 39. Pivoted at its center 48 with 49). When the discharge rod 44 moves inward of the longitudinal side piece 37, the rotary discharge lever 45 rotates clockwise as indicated by the arrow 50 to eject the card 33 from the card socket. .

Referring to Fig. 4, the card holding mechanism may include an elastic member 51 stamped and molded from a thin metal sheet. Specifically, the elastic member 51 is composed of a curved portion 53 and a straight portion 52 connected integrally. The elastic member 51 mounts the straight portion 52 in the longitudinal groove 54 and protrudes the curved portion 53 into the card receiving space 32 of the card socket 30 so that the length of the socket housing 31 is increased. It is attached to the directional side piece 37. The card 33 has a recess or notch (not shown) formed on one longitudinal side, and the card 33 draws the curved portion 53 of the elastic member 51 into the recess of the card 33. Can be effectively held in the card socket. Thus, the card 33 can be inserted into the card socket with an audible "click" sound.

As shown in Fig. 4, the card socket includes an opposing positioning column 56 and an opposing metal fitting nail 55 attached thereto. The metal fitting nail 55 is attached to the end of the opposing longitudinal side piece 37 and is flush with the bottom of the card socket. This metal fitting nail 55 is configured to be soldered to a corresponding solder pad of a basic printed circuit board (not shown). The positioning pillar 56 is integrally formed on the bottom of the socket housing by molding and is configured to be received in a corresponding positioning hole in the printed circuit board. Thus, the card socket can be accurately placed on the printed circuit board.

A third embodiment of the detection switch is shown via Figs. 11-13. The card socket 90 has three contact members 71A, 71B, 71C arranged in series on one longitudinal side of the “U” shaped housing 91. The first detection switch 70 is composed of the contact members 71A, 71B, and the second detection switch 71 is composed of the contact members 71B, 71C.

As in the first embodiment, each contact member is manufactured by stamping and forming a thin metal sheet into the shape shown in Figs. Specifically, each contact member consists of a bag 78 having a front or head contact and a rear or tail contact that is integrally connected. The head contact consists of up and down inclined portions 72, 76 forming a "V" shaped contact in the card width-parallel plane and a first planar contact 74 integrally connected to the end of the down inclined portion 74. do. The tail contact consists of a first planar contact 75 integrally connected to the end of the bag 78 and includes a contact protrusion 75a formed on one side thereof (see Fig. 13).

The bag 78 of the contact members 71A, 71B, 71C is mounted in the longitudinal housing groove 91 of the housing 91 having a "V" shaped head contact projecting into the card receiving space 92. In the unbiased state, the first planar contact portion 74 of the contact member 71A faces the second contact portion 75 of the contact member 71B, and the first contact portion 74 of the contact member 71B is in contact. It faces the second contact portion 75 of the member 71C. Thus, this switch is normally closed. Note that the contact member 71C does not include a bag or the first planar contact.

When a card medium such as an SD card is inserted into the card receiving space 92, it contacts the inclined portion 72 of the head contact portion of the contact member 71A, and contacts the first contact portion 74 of the contact member 71A. It moves away from the second contact portion 75 of the contact member 71B. Thus, this normal closing detection switch 70 is opened upon insertion of the card. When the card is further inserted into the card receiving space 92, it contacts the second contact portion 75 of the contact member 71B, and contacts the first contact portion 74 of the contact member 71B with the contact member 71C. To move away from the second contact portion 75. Again this conventional hermetic switch is manufactured to be open.

As with other embodiments, these switch contacts are of the same design, regardless of the number of detection switches used, and they can each be manufactured by arranging the same terminal designs in series. Thus, a single metal stamping die can be used, and a reduction in manufacturing cost can also be achieved. The same design can also be used for the first and last contacts in the series by removing some of the contacts that are not used in the detection switch.

It will be appreciated that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the central features thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.

Claims (14)

A detection switch 10 mounted in the card socket 30 for detecting the presence of the card 33 inserted into the socket, Two contact members 11A, 11B arranged in series along one longitudinal side of the socket, Each contact member having a contact section formed on an end adjacent to the contact section of another contact member, The contact section of the first contact member 11A includes a front contact formed in a card width-parallel plane, and is configured to be contacted by the card and deflected into the card width-parallel plane when the card is inserted into the socket. One switch contact 14, The contact section of the second contact member 11B includes a rear contact formed in the card thickness-parallel direction, and configured to be deflected in the card thickness-parallel direction by the first switch contact when the card is inserted into the socket. A detection switch, characterized in that it defines a second switch contact (15). 2. The front contact according to claim 1, wherein the front contact is formed generally in a "V" shape and is configured such that one side of the "V" shape is contacted by the front edge of the card 33 upon insertion of the card into the card socket 30. Detection switch featured. 3. The rear contact according to claim 2, comprising a flat plane (17) and an inclined plane (13) extending therefrom, the portion of which is inclined on the same plane as one side of the "V-shape, and a card socket And a detection switch configured to be deflected by one side of the "V" shape during card insertion into the card. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein during deflection of the second switch contact by the first switch contact 14, the other side of the “V” shaped of the front contact is received below the flat plane 17 of the rear contact. Detection switch featured. The switch contacts of claim 1, wherein the switch contacts are spaced apart from one another in a non-deflected state by being composed of a conventional open detection switch, and upon card insertion and deflection of the first switch contact, the switch contacts may be configured to A detection switch for closing another one by closing. A detection switch assembly 10 mounted in the card socket 30 and configured to detect the presence of the card 33 inserted in the socket, A plurality of contact members 11A, 11B, 11C arranged in series by forming the leading contact member 11C, the subsequent contact member 11A and the at least one intermediate contact member 11B in series, Each intermediate contact member has contact sections 19, 20 formed on its opposite ends, The contact section 19 at one end includes a front contact formed in the card width-parallel plane and defining the first switch contact 14, The contact section 20 of the other end comprises a rear contact portion formed in the card thickness-parallel direction and defining the second switch contact portion 15, And the insertion of the card causes the first switch contact of the intermediate contact member to deflect in the card width-parallel plane and the second switch contact to deflect in the card thickness-parallel direction. The tip contact member 11C comprises a contact section 20 formed on one end, the contact member on the one end having the same design as the rear contact 20 of the intermediate contact member 11B. Detection switch assembly, characterized in that. 7. The follow-up contact member 11A comprises a contact section 19 formed on one end, the contact member on one end being of the same design as the front contact 19 of the intermediate contact member 11B. Detection switch assembly, characterized in that. 7. The switch contact of claim 6, wherein the switch contact is spaced apart from the other in an unbiased state by including a conventional open detection switch, and upon card insertion and deflection of the first switch contact, the switch contact is configured to A detection switch assembly, characterized in that for closing the other one in contact. A detection switch assembly 10 mounted in the card socket 30 and configured to detect the presence of the card 33 inserted in the socket, A plurality of contact members 11A, 11B, 11C arranged in series by forming the leading contact member 11C, the subsequent contact member 11A and the at least one intermediate contact member 11B in series, Each intermediate contact member 11B has contact sections 19 and 20 formed on opposite ends thereof, The contact section 19 at one end includes a front contact formed in the card width-parallel plane and defining the first switch contact 14, The contact section 20 of the other end comprises a rear contact defining a second switch contact 15, The insertion of the card allows the first switch contact (14) of the intermediate contact member to be deflected away from the second switch contact (15) in the card width-parallel plane. 12. The detection switch of claim 10, wherein the rear contact comprises a planar contact having a contact protrusion formed on one end. 11. The tip contact member 11C comprises a contact section 20 formed on one end, the contact member on the one end having the same design as the rear contact 20 of the intermediate contact member 11B. Detection switch, characterized in that the. 11. The subsequent contact member 11A comprises a contact section 19 formed on one end, the contact member on the one end having the same design as the front contact 19 of the intermediate contact member 11B. Detection switch, characterized in that the. 11. The switch contact of claim 10, wherein the switch contact is in contact with the other in an unbiased state by including a conventional closed detection switch, and upon card insertion and deflection of the first switch contact, the switch contact opens the conventional closed switch. Detection switch, wherein the detection switch is spaced apart from the other one.