JP3385249B2 - Card connector structure - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card connector structure attached to an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a telephone, a PDA (personal digital assistance), a portable audio device, and a camera, and more specifically, two types of cards having different thicknesses. The present invention relates to a card connector structure that can be suitably loaded.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In electronic equipment such as mobile phones, telephones, PDAs, cameras, etc., an IC for CPU or memory
SIM (subscriber identity module) with built-in
Card, MMC (multi media card) card, SD (su
By installing an IC card such as a per density card, various functions are expanded.

Of the cards of this type, an MMC card, for example, has an appearance as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a view of the MMC card 10 as viewed from the back side of the card. The card body 11 has a predetermined thickness t, and a chamfered portion 12 for preventing erroneous insertion at the right front end thereof.
have. A plurality of contact pads 13 connected to the IC circuit inside the card are provided on the tip side of the bottom surface of the card body 11.
Are arranged.

FIG. 9 shows the SD card 20 seen from the back side of the card. The SD card 20 is the MMC card 10.
The card body 11 has an upper body portion 21 having substantially the same thickness t. A chamfer 22 for preventing erroneous insertion is provided at the right end of the upper body 21. On the back surface side of the upper body portion 21, a lower body portion 23 having a width slightly narrower than that of the upper body portion 21 is formed. A plurality of recesses 24 are formed on the tip side of the lower body 23.
A contact pad 25 is disposed on the. A write protect button 26 is provided on the side surface of the card 20.
The depth of each recess 24 is substantially the same as the height of the lower bottom surface portion 23, and therefore the surface of each contact pad 25 is separated from the front surface of the upper body portion 21 by the thickness t of the upper body portion 21. Is located. That is, in the card 20,
The bottom surface of the upper body portion 21 and the lower body portion 23 are provided at both end portions.
A step 27 formed by the bottom surface of the card is formed along the edge of the card. In a connector structure for detachably mounting such an IC card, a plurality of contact terminals connected to various signal processing circuits and power supply circuits on the electronic equipment side to which the connector is mounted are provided in a connector housing, The plurality of contact terminals are brought into contact with the contact pads 13 and 25 of the loaded IC card, and the IC card is electrically connected to the electronic device to which the connector is attached through these contacts.

[0006]

Considering a common connector which can be loaded with both types of IC cards having different thicknesses from the card surface to the card bottom as described above, the connector structure is as follows. Generally has a structure in which each card is supported by the connector housing on its bottom surface.

However, in such a connector housing structure that supports the bottom surface of each card, since the thickness of both cards is different, the distance from the contact pad of each card to the contact terminal of the connector is small when the cards are mounted on the connector. different.

Therefore, if the elastic force of the contact terminal is set according to the thick card, the required elastic force cannot be applied to the contact terminal when the card is thin.

On the contrary, if the elastic force of the contact terminal is set according to the thin card, the contact terminal is excessively displaced and exceeds the stress limit in the case of a thick card, and the contact piece is plastically deformed. I have a problem.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and has a card connector structure capable of loading two kinds of cards having different thicknesses while sufficiently ensuring the contact reliability between the contact pad and the contact terminal. To provide a solution problem.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the tip corner portion
Upper body that has a chamfer on the
Lower body with a narrow crab and a recess on the tip side
And a contact pad provided in the recess,
At the side end, the bottom surface of the upper body and the lower body
The step by the bottom is formed along the edge of the card.
No. 1 card and the upper body of the first card are almost the same.
This card body having the same plane shape and thickness
The contact pad of the first card on the bottom surface of the main body
Having a contact pad disposed in substantially the same plane position as
2 types of cards with 2 cardsAny one of
The contact pad is located in the connector housing
Connector housing so that it contacts the contact terminals
Card connector structure to hold insideAnd saidConnector
Of the first card, which is formed on both side walls of the housing.
Each of the upper body and the card body of the second card
A pair of plans that support the side edges and guide their insertion and removal movements
In front of the inner groove and the space between the pair of guide grooves
Defining a space for accommodating the lower body of the first card
Side wall forAnd a contact pad of the first card
Of the second card that contacts the contact terminal
The contact terminal that contacts the contact pad is the same
RuIt is characterized by

The second card, which has a small thickness, is supported by a pair of guide grooves formed in the connector housing at the side ends of the card body.

On the other hand, the first card having a large thickness has a side end of the upper body having a thickness substantially the same as that of the card body of the second card, in other words, the stepped portion has It is supported by the guide groove. Then, the lower main body portion protruding downward from the upper main body portion of the first card through the step is housed in the lower space of the space sandwiched by the guide grooves.

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance from the contact pad of the first card to the contact terminal of the connector and the distance between the second card and the second card are inserted regardless of whether the first card or the second card is inserted. Since each card is supported in the connector so that the distance from the contact pad to the contact terminal is the same, the contact terminal is given the same amount of elastic displacement by both cards, which is stable for both cards. Contact reliability can be ensured.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view seen from the arrow B direction in FIG. 1.

This card connector 1 is a portable telephone, a P
It is provided in electronic devices such as DAs, portable audios, and cameras.

The connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is both a thin card 10 such as the MMC card shown in FIG. 8 and a two-step thick card 20 having a step such as the SD card shown in FIG. Can be loaded.

1 to 4, the card connector 1
Has a connector housing 30 integrally molded with an insulating material such as a resin material.

On the lower surface 31 of the housing 30, there are formed a plurality of grooves 32 for positioning and press-fitting a plurality of contact terminals 40 composed of contact spring pieces. These contact terminals 40 include power supply terminals, signal terminals, and the like. Each contact 40 abuts a plurality of contact pads 13 and 25 formed on the cards 10 and 20 with a contact portion 40a protruding at the tip end side thereof, and a contact of a printed wiring board of an electronic device at each end portion 40b side. Soldered to the pad.

Each IC card 10, 20 has a housing 3
0 is inserted into the connector 1 through a card insertion opening 33 formed on the front surface.

The housing 30 is formed with an abutting wall 35 for abutting the inserted IC cards 10 and 20,
A corner wall 36 is formed at one corner of the abutment wall 35 so as to abut the chamfered portions 12, 22 of the IC cards 10, 20.

Here, the two IC cards 10 and 20 are
Both ends of the housing 30 are supported by a pair of guide grooves 50a and 50b formed on both inner side walls of the housing 30 and guided in the inserting / removing direction.

One guide groove 50a extends from the card insertion opening 33 to the corner wall 36, and the other guide groove 50b extends from the card insertion opening 33 to the abutment wall 35.

However, at the entrances of the guide grooves 50a and 50b, notches 37 are formed on the upper surface and tapered surfaces 38 and 39 are formed on the side surfaces and the lower surface so that the cards 10 and 20 can be easily inserted. Has been done.

Each of the guide grooves 50a and 50b has an upper surface wall 51,
It is formed by the side wall 52 and the lower surface wall 53.

Further, a side wall 60 is formed so as to extend downward from the edge of the lower surface wall 53 of each guide groove 50a, 50b.

FIG. 5 shows a state where the thin card 10 is inserted into the connector 1.

When the thin card 10 is inserted into the connector 1, both side surfaces of the card body 11 are guided by the guide grooves 50a and 50b.
Is guided by each side wall 52, and both end portions of the bottom surface of the main body 11 are supported by the lower surface wall 53.
Both side edges of the upper surface of the card body 11 are regulated by the upper surface walls 51 so that the card 10 does not float up due to the elastic force of the contact terminal 40.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a state in which the thick type two-stage card 20 is inserted into the connector 1.

When the thick two-stage card 20 is inserted into the connector 1, both side surfaces of the upper body portion 21 of the card 20 are guided by the side walls 52 of the guide grooves 50a and 50b, and the bottom surface of the upper body portion 21 is guided. Both side ends, that is, the step portions 27 are supported by the lower surface wall 53, and further, both end portions of the upper surface of the upper main body portion 21 are regulated by the upper surface wall 51 so that the card 20 is not lifted by the elastic force of the contact 40 terminal.

Further, the lower main body portion 23 of the thick two-stage card 20 is accommodated in the space 61 sandwiched by the side walls 60. That is, both side surfaces of the lower main body portion 23 of the card 20 are guided by the side walls 60.

In the thin card 10, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact pad 12 is located on the bottom surface of the card body 11.

On the other hand, in the thick two-stage card 20, as shown in FIG. 9, the contact pad 25 is provided on the bottom surface of the upper body portion 21, in other words, in the recess 24 formed in the lower body portion 23. positioned.

Further, according to the above connector structure, in the height direction, the bottom surface of the thin card 10 has the guide groove 50.
a, 50b is supported by the lower wall 53, and the bottom surface of the upper main body 21 of the thick two-stage card 20 is a guide groove 50a, 5a.
It is supported by the lower surface wall 53 of 0b.

Therefore, according to this connector structure,
Whichever card 10 or 20 is inserted, the contact pads 12 and 25 to the contact terminals 40 of the connector 1
Since the distance to a is the same, the contact terminals are given the same amount of elastic displacement by both cards 10 and 20, so that stable contact reliability can be obtained for both cards 10 and 20. Become.

By the way, in the above-mentioned connector structure, the horizontal positioning of the thick double-tiered card 20 with respect to the connector 1 is performed by either the side wall 52 forming the guide grooves 50a, 50b or the side wall 60 below the side wall 52. May be. When the dimensional difference in the planar shape of the upper body 21 of the thin card 10 and the thick two-stage card 20 is small, the upper side wall 52 may be used to position the card 20 in the left-right direction. If the value is large, the lower side wall 60 may be used to position the card 20 in the left-right direction.

In the above embodiment, the top wall of the connector housing 30 covers only the vicinity of the guide grooves 50a and 50b and the abutment wall 35b, but it covers the entire surface of the card, or most of it. Alternatively, it may cover only part of the card, for example the contact pads. This also applies to the bottom wall of the connector housing.

Further, the connector housing may be composed of a plurality of housing members such as an upper housing made of sheet metal and a lower housing made of resin.

Further, when the connector is turned upside down and arranged on the printed wiring board, the printed wiring board may also serve as the upper plate wall of the connector.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the SD card is taken as an example of the thick two-stage card 20 and the MMC card is taken as an example of a thin card. However, the present invention may be applied to any other kind of card. May be.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Each card is supported in the connector so that the distance from the contact pad of both cards to the contact terminal of the connector is the same when either of the two types of cards with different thicknesses is inserted. The same amount of elastic displacement is given by both cards, and stable contact reliability can be secured for both cards.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a general configuration of an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention viewed from the card insertion port side.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a thin card is inserted in the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where a thick two-stage card is inserted in an embodiment of a card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a thick two-stage card is inserted in the embodiment of the card connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a thin card applied to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a thick two-stage card applied to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 card connector 10 Thin card (MMC card) 11 Card body 12 Chamfer 13 contact pad 20 thick two-stage card (SD card) 21 Upper body 22 Chamfer 23 Lower body 24 recess 25 contact pads 26 Write protect button 30 connector housing 32 grooves 35 butting wall 36 corner wall 40 contact terminals 50a guide groove 50b guide groove 51 Top wall 52 Side wall 53 Bottom wall 60 side wall

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References: Kaihei 6-13071 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 12/18 G06K 17/00 H01R 13 / 62

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An upper body portion having a chamfered portion at a tip corner portion, a lower body portion having a width slightly narrower than the upper body portion and having a recessed portion on the tip side, and a contact pad provided in the recessed portion. A first card having a bottom surface of the upper main body portion and a bottom surface of the lower main body portion formed at both end portions along the card side edge; and an upper main body portion of the first card. A card body having substantially the same plane shape and thickness; a second card having a contact pad disposed on the bottom surface of the card body in substantially the same plane position as the contact pad of the first card; two any one of the card, the contact pads so as to be in contact with the contact terminals arranged in the connector housing, a card connector structure for holding in the connector housing, said U- The first housing is formed on both side walls of the connector housing.
A pair of guide grooves for supporting the respective side ends of the upper main body portion of the card and the card main body portion of the second card for guiding their insertion and removal movements, and below the space sandwiched by the pair of guide grooves. in the lower body portion of the first card and a side wall for defining a space to be accommodated, into contact with the contact pads of the first card contactor
Before contact with the contact terminal of the second card and the contact pad of the second card
A card connector structure characterized in that it is the same as the contact terminal . 2. The card connector structure according to claim 1, wherein the side wall is formed in a portion that guides a side surface of the lower main body of the first card.