JPH0572633B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a connector into which an IC card is inserted, and particularly relates to a locking mechanism.

<Prior Art> Card-type information storage media with built-in ICs (integrated circuits) are attracting much attention as information storage media that can replace floppy disks because of their compactness and large storage capacity. Among them
Memory cards without a CPU are convenient and inexpensive, and are therefore widely used, especially as memory for games.

A connector is used to freely insert and remove such an IC card from the main body of the device, but in order to prevent damage to the IC due to accidental removal during memory access, there is a connector that prevents unnecessary removal during memory access. Some devices are now equipped with a locking mechanism to prevent this from happening.

In other words, as shown in Figure 2, such a locking mechanism is of the ZIF type (Zero Insertion Force).
The reaction force at the time of insertion is reduced to 0, and after the card is completely inserted, the spring force of the terminal has a spring force to fix the card, and the foot part of the card that is held down by the spring is concave. The terminal was locked with the convex spring terminal, and could not be easily pulled out.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> However, such a ZIF-type locking mechanism can be pulled out by applying strong force, and in this case, the terminals of the connector may curl up and cause damage to the connector.
There were cases where it became unusable.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned current situation, and has an uneven part formed on the side surface of an IC card, so that when such an IC card is inserted, A lock cam vertical movement means consisting of a lock cam, a pin, and a spring is provided to move the lock cam left and right according to the unevenness of the side surface, and a closed curved cam groove showing a roughly heart-shaped trajectory is provided.
A locking mechanism is installed on the side of the commenter and includes a pin control means that moves the pin that moves along the shape of a closed curved cam groove and is linked to the vertical movement of the lock cam that operates in response to the unevenness on the side surface of the IC card. To provide an IC card connector which can accurately prevent inadvertent removal of an IC card by providing a simple mechanism and a simple operation.

<Example> The present invention will be described below based on an example with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the IC card connector of the present invention includes a U-shaped connector body 2, a connector terminal 4, a slider 6 for guiding the IC card, a slider spring 8, and a lock cam 10 which is a part of the lock mechanism. Consists of etc.

IC card 1 inserted into such a connector
Reference numeral 8 is provided with a card terminal 20, and a lock guide 22 for operating the lock mechanism is provided as irregularities of a predetermined shape on a part of the side surface.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the slider spring 8 is connected at one end to the connector body 2 and at the other end to the slider 6, and depending on the inserted state of the IC card 18. The slider 6 is designed to move left and right. The upper right corner of the slider 6 shown in FIG. 4 is cut off in order to control the movement of the lock cam 10.

The left terminal of the connector terminal 4 forms a plug for direct connection to the main unit, and the other terminal extends into the connector main body, and its tip is bent and has elasticity. I C
When the card 18 is completely inserted, the connector terminal 4 and the card terminal 20 of the IC card 18 are accurately fixed and connected by elastic force.

The lock cam guide 22 provided in a part of the IC card 18 has uneven parts shown at positions g, h, i, and j, and the depth of the gore is i>g>h>j. This is an important part for implementing the lock cam mechanism.

Further, a lock cam mechanism is provided in a part of the space on one side of the connector body 2, and is composed of a lock cam spring 12, a pin 14, a lock cam 10, and a cam groove 16, as shown in FIG. The lock cam spring 12 has a band-like, V-shaped shape. Both ends thereof are fixed, and a recess is formed in the center portion to receive the pin 14. The center portion of the lock cam spring is configured to move toward the rear. A rod-shaped pin 14 is connected to the lock cam 10 so as to be free to rotate left and right, and the tip of the pin fits into the cam groove 16, so that the pin 14 bends due to the curvature of the cam groove 16 as the lock cam moves up and down. It is designed to move according to the state of the shape. As shown in Figure B, the cam grooves have a curved shape according to a certain rule, and the groove intervals are such that the pin 14 can be inserted.

<Function> Next, the function of the lock cam mechanism when an IC card is actually inserted into the connector of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. 6.

First, when the IC card is not fully inserted, the lock cam is completely pushed up by the side surface of the slider 6, and the lock cam spring 12 is in a deflated state, as shown in FIG. At this time, the pin 14 is held at position a in the cam groove 16.

When you start inserting the IC card, the slider 6 moves towards the back as shown in Figure B.
The lock cam slides down along the concave shape curve f on the side surface of the slider due to the reaction force of the lock cam spring, and at this time the pin passes through the left side of the cam groove and moves from position a to position b. .
Next, g of the lock cam guide 22 on the side of the IC card.
The lock cam is pushed up by the curve and the straight line,
The pin returns from position b to position d.

Next, the state in which the IC card is inserted and completely fixed to the connector will be explained based on Figure C. In other words, further from the state shown in Figure B
When the IC card is inserted, the lock cam fits into the notch at position i of the lock cam guide, and the pin 14 passes through the left side of the cam groove again to point C and stops. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the elastic connector terminal 4 had been pushed up by the thickness of the slider 6.
When the IC card is inserted, the terminal moves downward due to its elastic force, contacts the card terminal 20 of the IC card, and becomes ready for communication. Furthermore, in this state, since the slider spring 8 connected to the slider 6 is sufficiently compressed, a reaction force of the spring is applied in the pulling direction, and the shape of the lock cam guide 22 at the i position is L-shaped. Therefore, even if you try to forcefully pull the IC card out, it will not come out, and there will be no wobbling from side to side, and the card will remain firmly locked.

Finally, if you want to release the lock and pull out the IC card from this locked state due to termination of data communication, etc., apply additional force to the IC card so that it is inserted deeper than the fixed point. At this time, as shown in FIG.
0 is pushed up, and at this time the pin 14 is inserted into the cam groove 16.
It passes through the right side of the drawing and reaches point e, where it is held and stopped. When the pin 14 is stopped at this point e, the lock cam 4 is moved by the g of the lock cam guide 22,
Since the IC card is pushed up above the positions h and i, it can be easily pulled out by applying a pulling force to the IC card. And the slider 6 is the slider spring 8
The lock cam is returned to its original position by the reaction force of , and the lock cam is further pushed up by the side surface of the slider, and the pin returns to its initial position at point a of the cam groove, completing one cycle.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The micro switch arm 32 may be interlocked with the micro switch arm 32. That is, when the card terminal 20 of the IC card and the connector terminal of the connector are in contact and locked, the pin 14 is inserted into the tip C of the cam groove 16.
At this time, the contact terminal A, which is moved together with the microswitch arm 32 of the microswitch 30, comes down and comes into contact with the contact terminal B, which is fixed at a fixed position in advance. At this time, the micro switch 30 is in the ON state. By connecting the terminal of the micro switch 30 between the Vcc terminal of the connector and the Vcc power supply, even if you accidentally try to remove the card during data communication between the IC card and the main unit, Forcibly connect contact terminal A of the micro switch
is raised in conjunction with pin 14, and the switch is
When turned off, power supply is stopped and damage to the memory in the card is prevented. Alternatively, a CPU control signal may be connected to the microswitch to interrupt the CPU when the card is removed.

Note that the locking mechanism may not only be provided at one location of the connector, but may also be provided at multiple locations.

<Operation> The present invention is as described above, and even if an IC card is forcibly pulled out in a locked state, it will be impossible because the lock cam is completely engaged with the recess of the lock cam guide. The IC card is more accurately prevented from being destroyed due to removal or inadvertent removal, and since there is no need to operate the release lever to release the lock, the locking mechanism has a simple configuration, and furthermore, all you have to do is insert and remove the IC card. It is easy to operate because it only requires the operation of
Destruction of the IC card due to removal of the IC card can also be prevented in a double manner.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a connector and an IC card according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a cross section of a connector having a conventional locking mechanism, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a connector and an IC card, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a connector and an IC card. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the plane of the connector and the IC card, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the locking mechanism according to the present invention, A is a schematic diagram, B is a diagram showing the relationship between the cam groove and the pin, and FIGS. 6A and B , C, D, and E are explanatory diagrams showing the position of the lock mechanism and the position of the pin relative to the cam groove in the inserted state of each IC card, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the location where a micro switch is provided in the lock mechanism. 2... Connector body, 4... Connector terminal, 6... Slider, 8... Spring for slider, 10... Lock cam, 12... Spring for lock cam, 14... Pin, 16... Cam groove, 18...
IC card, 20... Card terminal, 22... Lock cam guide, 30... Micro switch, 32
...Micro switch arm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an IC card connector in which a locking mechanism is provided on the connector for connecting the IC card to the main body of the device, an IC card with a desired unevenness on the side surface is prepared in advance, and the connector is A part of the side of the main body has a lock cam vertical movement means consisting of a lock cam, a pin, and a lock cam spring that moves the lock cam up and down depending on the inserted state of the IC card, and a closed curved cam groove that shows a roughly heart-shaped trajectory. and a pin control means configured to move the pin, which is interlocked with the vertical movement of the lock cam, to follow the shape of a closed curved cam groove, and which operates in response to unevenness on the side surface of the IC card due to insertion and withdrawal operations of the IC card. A lock mechanism is constructed from , and the IC card is inserted.
An IC card connector characterized by being able to lock and unlock an IC card simply by operating the drawer. 2 Depending on the movement of the lock cam of the lock mechanism
An IC card connector according to claim 1, characterized in that a micro switch for turning ON and OFF is provided inside the connector.