JPH11144002A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] The present invention mainly relates to a terminal for an IC card, for example,
POS terminal, personal computer, ATM,
Card reader / reader connected to terminals such as vending machines
A card connector provided in the writing device and abutting on a card inserted into these terminals,
An object of the present invention is to solve the problem of abrasion / peeling caused by the sliding contact with the contact point of the card. A card connector for contacting an electrical contact of a card stored in a card storage space and inputting / outputting electrical information to / from the card, wherein the electrical contact (16) of the card (15) is provided. Contact 3 to be contacted
The contacts a and 3b are connected to the card storage space 1 of the card 15.
The card connector 1 is interlocked by the interlocking means 2 operated by the insertion / removal action into and out of the card electrical contact 16 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the card plane.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is mainly provided for a card reading / writing device connected to a terminal for an IC card, for example, a POS terminal, a personal computer, an ATM, a vending machine or the like. The present invention relates to a card connector that comes into contact with a card inserted into these terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An IC card (smart card, chip-in card, micro circuit card) which is a card capable of storing and reading out electrical information, and which mainly has a microprocessor and an IC memory or only an IC memory embedded in a plastic card. ) Has been widely used in recent years.

Various types of information read / write devices (also referred to as reader / writers) for reading and storing electrical information stored in the IC card are provided in various terminals.

The read / write device has a contact structure in which contacts for electrically contacting contacts (for example, eight places) on the card side are provided. In the contact structure, for example, the contact tip always projects into the card storage space of the reader / writer, and when the card is inserted into the card storage space, one side of the contact tip presses against one side surface of the card.・ Sliding contact while being deformed.

[0005] When the card is almost completely inserted into the card accommodating space, the tips of the plurality of contacts come into contact with the contacts of the card with slight sliding contact. Thereafter, the terminal device detects that the card is inserted, supplies power to the card from each of the contacts, outputs a control signal, inputs information (data) of the card, and outputs information to the card. Or

[0006]

However, looking at the contact state between each contact of the card and each contact tip of the contact structure, the contact is always urged toward the card storage space by the elastic force of the contact to protrude. Contact tip
The card is fluctuated against the elastic force by the inserted card, and slides on the contact point of the card in a state where the pressing force corresponding to the fluctuation is applied. Therefore, if the card is used repeatedly, the contacts of the card may be significantly worn and peeled off.

[0007] Information on an IC card or the like includes password data and is extremely important, and the reliability of a reader / writer in a terminal and the stability of reading and the like must be maintained at a high level. Therefore, there is a problem to be solved in a method of contacting the contact with the conventional card connector in which the contact of the card may be significantly worn.

[0008]

The gist of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems of the card connector according to the present invention is that a contact comes into contact with an electrical contact of a card stored in a card storage space, and the card is electrically connected to the card. A card connector for inputting / outputting information, wherein contact points of contacts abutting on electrical contacts of the card are interlocked by interlocking means operated by an insertion / removal operation of the card into / from the card storage space. That is, the card comes into and out of the electrical contact of the card from a direction substantially orthogonal to the plane of the card.

The interlocking means is a lever which rotates about a fulcrum, and the tip of the lever is urged by an elastic member so as to always protrude into the card storage space. The rear end of the lever is urged by a member so that the contact point of the contact is retracted from the card storage space; the elastic member is provided near the card storage space, and the presence or absence of a card in the card storage space Is a member that constitutes a part of a detection mechanism that detects

According to the card connector of the present invention,
When the card is not inserted into the card storage space provided on the terminal device side, the tip of the contact is immersed in a position where it does not contact the contact of the card. Then, when the card is inserted into the card storage space, the interlocking means operated by the card insertion / removal operation operates, and in conjunction therewith, the contact tip moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to the card plane, and the contact point of the contact Contacts the contacts of the card.

Therefore, the contact between the contact point of the contact and the contact point of the card is achieved without the tip of the contact sliding with the plane of the card, and the tip of the contact slides on the card surface as in the prior art. Therefore, wear of the contacts of the card or peeling of plating or the like is prevented.

[0012]

Next, a card connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front side and a back side of a card mounting device 1 provided in a reader / writer of a card terminal, for example, having a card storage space.

The card mounting device 1 includes a contact housing 4 on which a seesaw-type lever 2 and a contact 3 are mounted, a space for storing the contact housing 4, a mounting portion, a detection switch 5, and a card storage for storing a card. And a card mounting housing 6 having a space. Each of these components will be further described with reference to the drawings.

The contact housing 4 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), four concave grooves 4a and 4b for mounting the contacts 3 are provided in a central part on a rectangular body made of a synthetic resin and having a required thickness in a side-by-side state and provided in an opposed arrangement. ing.

At an intermediate portion where the grooves 4a and 4b face each other, a groove 4c having a required width is provided in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the grooves 4a and 4b. Further, concave grooves 4d, 4d extending from both ends of the concave groove 4c to the main body end face in parallel with the concave groove 4b are provided. The concave groove 4c and the concave grooves 4d, 4d form a substantially U-shaped concave groove.

On the upper side of the outer wall surface of the concave grooves 4d, 4d,
A pair of semicircular concave grooves 4e, 4e, which are opened on the upper surface, are provided facing each other. The concave groove 4e serves as a fulcrum for supporting the lever 2 described later.

The recesses 4a and 4b have contacts 3
a and 3b are inserted and fixed, respectively. This contact 3
Regarding the shapes of a and 3b, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), R-shaped contacts 7, 8 contacting the contacts of the card.
And engaging flat portions 9 and 10 extending therefrom, fixing portions 11 and 12 serving as bases of the contacts, and fixing portions 11 and 12.
And terminal portions 13 and 14 extending from the terminal 12 for connection to a terminal computer or the like.

As shown in FIG.
The engagement flat portions 9 and 10 and the contacts 7 and 8 of a and 3b are opposed to each other in the concave groove 4c. The contacts 7, 8
However, as shown in FIG. 3B, for example, the length is 85 mm,
IC with width of 54mm and thickness of about 0.8mm
The contact (8) exposed on one side of the card 15
16).

As shown in FIG. 5, a lever 2 as an interlocking means is mounted on the contact housing 4 on which the contact 3 is mounted. The lever 2 is a member made of a synthetic resin having a required thickness in a shape corresponding to the U-shaped concave grooves 4c, 4d, and 4d. The tip portions 2a and 2b of both arm portions of the lever 2 are thin.

Further, columnar projections 2c and 2d serving as pivot points for rotation are formed on the outer side surfaces of the both arm-shaped portions.
It is provided corresponding to the positions of e and 4e. Further, the base 2 is formed to have a size such that it can be substantially accommodated in the concave groove 4c.
e is provided with four concave grooves 2f in parallel with which the flat engagement portions 9, 10 of the contact 3 enter and abut on the bottom surface.

The lever 2 is connected to the contact housing 4
7 is a perspective view shown in FIG. Then, the contact housing 4 in this state is inserted into the card storage space 1.
1 is attached to the card mounting housing 6 such that the distal end portions 2a and 2b of the lever 2 come to the back side of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the card mounting device 1 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, the front surface of the card mounting housing 6 is such that the opening side of the card storage space 17 into which the IC card 15 is inserted is the front side. A detection mechanism is provided near the back side.

This detection mechanism detects the presence or absence of the IC card 15 in the card storage space 17. The detection switch 5 of the detection mechanism includes two leaf springs 5a and 5b. The insertion and removal of the IC card 15 into and from the card storage space 17 in the card mounting housing 6 causes the switching action of the two leaf springs 5a and 5b, and is detected on the terminal side by the electrical ON / OFF of the detection switch 5. Things.

The leaf spring 5a has a base portion on the rear end side fixed to the card mounting housing 6, and a front end portion 5 on the front end side.
c is bent upward in FIG. 7, enters the lower side of the distal end portion 2a of the lever 2, comes into contact with the lower end portion 2a, and is always provided to bias the distal end portion 2a upward by elastic force. .

The detection switch 5 is also provided on the back side.
, A leaf spring 18 is provided. The leaf spring 18 has a base on the rear end side of the card mounting housing 6.
, And is curved upward to form a distal end portion 18a.
7, as shown in FIG. 7, enters the lower side of the distal end portion 2b of the lever 2 and abuts on the lower end portion 2b.
Is always urged upward.

When the IC card 15 is not inserted, the card mounting apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration is configured to have the leaf spring 5a of the detection switch 5 as shown in FIGS.
And the leaf spring 18, the distal end portions 2 a and 2 b of the lever 2
Are urged upward in the figure, whereby the base 2e of the lever 2 is rotated downward about the fulcrum shaft projections 2c and 2d.

In conjunction with the operation of the lever 2, the contacts 3a, 3a contacting the bottom surface of the concave groove 2f of the base 2e.
The engagement flat portions 9 and 10 of 3b are pushed down by the base 2e against the elastic force.

Then, the contacts 7 and 8 of the contacts 3a and 3b are pushed down together with the engaging flat portions 9 and 10, and are evacuated from the card storage space 17 to be in a sunk state.

In this way, when the IC card 15 is not inserted into the card mounting device 1, the contact points 7, 8 of the contacts are provided.
Are not in the card storage space 17. Then, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the IC card 15 is attached to the card
5 enters the card storage space 17 and contacts 7,
8 without sliding.

Further, when the IC card 15 is pushed all the way in, it is mounted while its leading end contacts the leading ends 2a and 2b of the lever 2. The tips 2a and 2b are rotated and pushed down about the projections 2c and 2d, which are fulcrum axes.

At the same time, the leaf springs 5a and 18 engaged with the tips 2a and 2b are also pushed down, and the detection switch 5 is turned off electrically. Detection switch 5
Changes from on to off, the terminal detects that the IC card 15 has been inserted into the card mounting device 1.

On the other hand, at the same time when the distal ends 2a, 2b are pushed down, the base 2e is centered on the projections 2c, 2d.
Is rotated and pushed upward. Then
When the engagement flat portions 9 and 10 of the contacts 3a and 3b are released from the bias, the contacts 7 and 8 of the contacts are lifted by elastic force and protrude into the card storage space 17.

As a result, each of the contacts 7, 8
The contact 16 approaches the plane of the C card 15 from a direction substantially orthogonal to the C card 15.
To input and output various electrical information and supply power.

In the above embodiment, the tip of the contact is directly protruded and retracted into the card storage space by the lever as the interlocking means. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A structure may be employed in which the contact tip is moved into the card storage space by moving it. Although the detection mechanism is operated simultaneously with the contact by the lever, it is not always necessary to make the detection mechanism work together.

As described above, in the contact structure according to the present invention, since the contacts 7 and 8 of the contact 3 approach from the direction substantially orthogonal to the plane of the card and come into contact with the contact 16 of the card, wear due to sliding contact is achieved. It has little action and does not generate corrosion or rust on electrical contacts.

[0036]

As described above, in the card connector according to the present invention, the contacts come into contact with the electrical contacts of the card stored in the card storage space, and input and output of electrical information with the card. The card connector of
The contact points of the contacts that are in contact with the electrical contacts of the card are interlocked by interlocking means that is operated by the action of inserting and removing the card into and out of the card storage space. With a contact structure that protrudes and disappears, there is little wear due to sliding contact, there is no corrosion or rust of electrical contacts, and there is an excellent effect that electrical connection is stable and reliability can be maintained at a high level. is there.

The elastic member engaged with the interlocking means is a member provided near the card storage space and constituting a part of a detection mechanism for detecting the presence or absence of a card in the card storage space. This has an excellent effect that the cost can be reduced and the parts management becomes easier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a card mounting device 1 having a card connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back side of the card mounting device 1 having the card connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view (a) showing a part of the card connector of the present invention and a perspective view (b) of an IC card 15;

FIG. 4 is perspective views (a) and (b) of contacts 3a and 3b in the card connector of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a lever 2 in the card connector of the present invention.
It is a perspective view of.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a part of the card connector of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a rear view of the card mounting device 1 having the card connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the card mounting device 1 having the card connector according to the present invention, in which an IC card is inserted.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line YY of FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Card mounting device, 2 levers, 3, 3a, 3b contacts, 4 contact housings, 5 detection switch, 5a leaf spring, 6 card mounting housing, 7,
8 contact points, 9,10 engagement flat part, 15 IC card,
16 card contacts, 17 card storage space, 18 leaf springs.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A card connector for contacting an electrical contact of a card stored in a card storage space and inputting and outputting electrical information to and from the card. The contact points of the contacts to be brought into contact with each other are interlocked by interlocking means operated by an insertion / removal action of the card into / from the card storage space, and are protruded / retracted from the electrical contact of the card in a direction substantially perpendicular to the card plane. Characteristic connector for cards. 2. The interlocking means is a lever which pivots about a fulcrum, and a tip of the lever is urged by an elastic member so as to always protrude into the card storage space, and the elastic member is The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the rear end of the lever is urged so that the contact point of the contact is retracted from the card storage space. 3. The elastic member is a member provided in the vicinity of the card storage space and constituting a part of a detection mechanism for detecting the presence or absence of a card in the card storage space. Card connector as described.