JPH0764142B2 - Card case structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a structure of a card case, and particularly when a card used as an information transmission medium is housed in the case, the card is guided and inserted into a predetermined position in an appropriate state.
The present invention relates to the structure of a card case integrally formed with a member for confirming the shape of a card and holding it.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, an IC card in which an IC having the functions of a memory and a CPU is built in and configured in the form of a card is widely used as an information transmission medium. Generally, this IC card is mounted on the outer surface of the card as a means of reading and writing data.
There is used a reader / writer which is provided with electric contacts of an IC and is configured to contact these electric contacts to supply electric power to an IC card and exchange data signals.

The use of this type of IC card has been expanded with the increase in memory capacity, and it can be used not only as various business cards for personal use, but also as a memory medium for program control systems in various industries easily and effectively. It's being used.

Recently, a space for vibration energy generated by high-frequency electromagnetic fields and ultrasonic waves has been created in the space, and the energy in this field is absorbed and rectified to form a DC power supply, eliminating the need for a built-in battery or power supply contacts in the IC card. In addition, to exchange various data signals with the reader / writer, use a coupler such as an antenna or a coil, and embed this coupler in a proper place on the IC card to expose everything outside the IC card. There has also been proposed an IC card system in which the electric contact of the IC card is omitted and the electric connection between the IC card and the reader / writer is made non-contact (for example, JP-A-58-154082).

In order to efficiently supply power to the IC card and input data signals when coupling the IC card that employs such a non-contact coupling method with the reader / writer, the coupler and reader / writer provided in the IC card should be used. It is desired that the position alignment with the coupler provided at the position is performed.

The IC card reader / writer positions the IC card that is used appropriately at the proper position and exchanges signals with the reader / writer in either contact or non-contact coupling method.
There is a tendency for the structure of the IC card case that stores the IC card to be space-saving and to be downsized for portable use.

[Problems to be solved by problems]

Therefore, when such an IC card and a reader / writer are combined, in order to insert the IC card in a proper state with respect to the reader / writer, print a display on the front and back of the IC card that can identify the insertion direction on the IC card, On the other hand, it is possible to employ means such as providing an insertion position regulation frame body for properly positioning the IC card on the reader / writer side.

However, as described above, even if the IC card has a print display for proper insertion into the reader / writer,
The operator may make an incorrect insertion due to an error, and in such a case, the reader / writer side needs a means for discriminating the proper positioning state of the IC card.

Further, the reader / writer is provided with means for determining the state of the IC card only when the IC card is in an appropriate positioning state and fixing and holding the IC card immovably.
It is necessary to supply power to the card and exchange data signals.

Therefore, these discriminating means and fixed holding means have to have a complicated structure by using electrical, mechanical or optical means, etc., so that the number of products constituting them becomes large and the case structure There was a limit to miniaturization. Further, in order to assemble these many parts into a case formed by aluminum die casting or the like, a lot of man-hours are required and productivity is hindered.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to further simplify the identification for the IC card reader / writer to always insert the IC card in a proper fixed direction, and to position the IC card at the proper insertion position. And its fixed holding can be achieved smoothly and easily, and the case structure can be downsized and simplified by integrally forming the IC card positioning and fixed holding mechanism in the IC card storage case. There is to provide the structure of the card case.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

Therefore, in the invention of the present application, in order to achieve the above object, an IC card having one of four corners is formed in a notched step portion which is notched in the upper surface and is thinner than the other corner portions and which has a concave portion on the side surface. IC card structure for storing
Insert the card insertion slot and a pair of guide guides on both sides of the insertion slot that guide the IC card to the specified storage position. A pair of guide rails to guide and further IC
A restriction piece that is composed of a pair of guide side portions that guide both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the card, is provided with a thickness below the upper surface guide piece along one upper surface guide piece, and restricts only the notch step portion to pass through. And a locking portion which is provided along one guide side portion and which is pressed into contact with the guide side portion of the IC card and elastically fits into the concave portion when the IC card is guided to a predetermined storage position, and a card case. A pressing piece that is provided on the inner bottom surface and that elastically presses the upper surfaces of both side edges of the IC card on the guide rail against the upper guide piece and elastically presses the notched step portion of the IC card against the regulation piece, Provided is a structure of a card case, characterized in that a printed circuit board, which is integrally molded with resin with a pair of guide guides, for transmitting information with an IC card is arranged on an upper surface of the card case.

[Action]

According to the structure of the card case according to the present invention, the both sides of the card are guided by the artificial insertion operation of the card to be guided by the integrated guide guide including the upper guide piece, the guide rail, and the guide side portion, and the notched step portion of the IC card. When it is inserted into the predetermined storage position by passing through the restriction piece provided with a thickness below the upper guide piece before the storage position, the recess on one side of the card elastically engages the engagement piece. The position of the card is detected.

In this way, the card is properly mounted in the storage position and the card is surely detected and held. in this case,
Since each member for positioning and pressing and holding the position of the card is molded integrally with the card case, the case can be made compact and simple, and the engaging piece can be inserted into the card recess by the artificial insertion operation of the card. Since it is elastically engaged with, a click feeling can be obtained at the time of engagement, and the stored state of the card can be confirmed. In addition, since the thin corners of the card in an improper state do not exist at the predetermined position, the regulation member prevents the card from being accommodated in the accommodating position, and the click feeling due to the engagement with the engaging piece is not obtained. It becomes impossible to insert the card in this condition.

Further, since the one side of the card is elastically pressed by the pressing piece at the time of inserting the card, the shake at the time of inserting the card can be prevented, the card can be smoothly inserted, and the pressing and holding at the storage position becomes possible. Furthermore, because the printed circuit board that communicates information with the IC card is placed on the upper surface of the card case,
By pressing the card at the storage position, it is possible to more reliably transfer information between the card and the information transmission board.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the structure of the card case according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an embodiment of the structure of the card case according to the present invention.

The card used in the present invention is an IC card configured as shown in FIGS. 5 (a), 5 (b) and 6.

First, in FIGS. 5 (a), 5 (b) and 6, reference numeral 10 indicates an IC card, and a printed circuit 12 internally configured by a storage / arithmetic element composed of a single or a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuits. Is provided. The IC card 10 also has an air-core input coil 14 for receiving electric power from the outside and inputting a required data signal, and an empty coil for outputting a required data signal from the printed circuit 12 to the outside. The core output coils 16 are incorporated at appropriate positions separated from the printed circuits. The input coil 14 and the output coil 16 are connected to the printed circuit 12 by lead wires 18, respectively. IC card configured in this way
10 is a synthetic resin base on which a printed circuit 12 and an input coil are provided in advance.
14, spaces for accommodating the output coil 16 and the lead wire 18 are provided respectively, and after mounting the respective parts corresponding to these spaces, a synthetic resin coating material is coated by a known laminating method or bonding method. It can be easily formed.

However, in the present invention, the IC having the above-mentioned configuration
The card 10 is characterized in that cutouts 20 and 22 as recesses are provided at both side edges in the longitudinal direction of the card 10, and a cutout step 21 having a thin wall is provided at a corner of the tip.

All of these notches 20, 21, 22 are offset from each other and provided at asymmetrical positions. In this way multiple notches 20,21,
By providing 22, a plurality of detection mechanisms that can be mechanically fitted into these notches 20, 21, 22 are provided.
While performing position detection to determine the proper state of the IC card 10,
Achieving mechanical fixed holding of the IC card 10.

In the present invention, the notch for detecting the structure of the IC card storage case, which will be described later, is the notch 22 provided at the one side edge of the IC card, and the thin wall provided at the corner of the tip of the IC card. By using the cutout portion 21 in combination, the position detection of the IC card is suitably achieved.

That is, in the IC card 10 according to the present embodiment, the input coil 14 and the output coil 16 having different functions are built in asymmetrically, and are compatible with the corresponding input / output means provided in the reader titer only in a fixed state. Yes (IC
The insertion direction of the card on the front side and the reader / writer is determined). Therefore, for example, when the IC card 10 is turned into a proper state and the back side is the front side or when the IC card 10 is inserted in the reader / writer in the opposite direction, the pair of notches 21, 21 at the final mounting position of the IC card 10, 22 and each detection mechanism do not match, preventing the IC card from being inserted into the mounting position.

Next, a reader / writer adapted to the IC card according to the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

First, as a basic configuration of the reader / writer, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, a transmission coil 30 for supplying electric power and a data signal to the input coil 14 of the IC card 10,
A receiving coil 32 for reading data from the output coil 16 of the IC card 10, the transmitting coil 30 is connected to a drive circuit 36, and the receiving coil 32 is connected to a receiving circuit 38, all of which are connected to a first circuit. It is incorporated in a printed circuit board 28 as an information transmission board shown in FIG. 2, and thereby a reader / writer is constructed.

Therefore, the reader / writer configured as described above, when the transmission coil 30 and the output coil 16 of the IC code and the reception coil 32 and the input coil 14 of the IC card are properly opposed to each other, respectively By providing the detection mechanism so as to correspond to the notches 21 and 22 provided, it is possible to smoothly and surely determine the proper state of the IC card and fix and hold the IC card.

Next, regarding the structure of the IC card storage case, see FIGS.
This will be described with reference to the drawings and FIG.

Fig. 1 shows an overall perspective view of the IC card storage case as seen from the back side, in which 40 is an IC integrally molded of synthetic resin.
Shows the card storage case with openings 42,44 on its top and bottom
And a card insertion opening 46 having an IC opening / closing door 45 is formed on the front surface thereof. Further, inside the storage case 40, a pair of guide guides for constraining and guiding both side edges of the IC card 10 inserted from the insertion port 46 are formed.

That is, the guide path that serves as this guide guide is the upper guide pieces 48, 50, 52 for constraining and guiding the upper surfaces of the both side edges of the IC card, the pair of guide rails 54, 54 for guiding the lower surface thereof, and both sides in the longitudinal direction of the IC card. It is composed of guide side portions 56 and 58 for guiding the surface.

Further, one of the guide side portions 58 is provided with a lock lever 60 having a locking portion 60 at the tip which constitutes an engaging piece along the guide side portion 58.
The case 62 is formed by molding so that a part thereof is connected to the case 40, and is configured to be elastically deformable in the arrow direction (see FIG. 3). Further, the other of the guide side portions 56 is provided with a thickness below the upper surface guide piece 48 along the upper surface guide piece 48 and has an engaging portion 64 which serves as a restriction piece for restricting only the notch step portion 21 to pass therethrough. (See FIG. 1) is formed integrally with the case 40. Then, the pressing members 66, 66, which are a pair of pressing pieces that elastically press one side of the IC card so as to face the opening 44 on one side of the case 40, are integrally formed with the case 40. (See Fig. 4).

In this way, the integrated IC card storage case 40
A reader / writer which is a printed circuit board 28 for exchanging information with the IC card 10 shown in FIG. 2 is attached to one opening 42, and the opening 42 is closed.

The printed circuit board 28 has a transmitter coil 30 and a receiver coil 32.
Are arranged at a predetermined position separately from each other, and when the output coil 16 and the input coil 14 of the IC card 10 correspond to each other, a signal can be exchanged.

Therefore, when the IC card 10 is artificially inserted from the IC card insertion opening 68 of the IC card storage case 40, the operation when the IC card 10 is properly inserted will be described.

First, when the IC card 10 is inserted, one corner formed on the arc of the IC card abuts on the locking portion 60 of the lock lever 62, and when the IC card is further pressed and inserted into the case, the lock lever 62 Is elastically deformed by the artificial pressure of the IC card, and the IC card is inserted to the mounting position. In this case, IC
The lock lever 62 is attached to the notch 22 provided on one side of the card.
The engaging portion 60 of the is elastically fitted. A click feeling is obtained by this elastic fitting and the fitting is confirmed. At the same time, the step portion formed in the longitudinal direction on one side, which is the notch provided at the edge of the IC card on the other side, smoothly engages with the engaging portion formed along the upper guide piece 48, whereby the IC The proper condition of the card is detected and the positioning is preferably achieved.

Further, one side of the IC card inserted in the mounting position is elastically pressed and supported by the pressing members 66, 66.

On the other hand, when the IC card 10 is inserted in an improper state, the locking portion 60 of the lock lever 62 comes into contact with one side surface of the IC card and is elastically deformed, but it is provided at a different position of the IC card. Since the notch portion has a different vertical phase from the engaging portion 60, the IC card passes through without being fitted. However, when the tip corner of the IC card reaches the position of the engaging portion 64,
Since the notch 21 corresponding to the engaging portion 64 does not exist in the IC card, the insertion of the IC card is blocked here and the IC card cannot be inserted. In this case, even if the IC card is in a stopped state, a click feeling is not obtained, and an improper state of the IC card is confirmed, whereby malfunction of the reader / writer can be reliably prevented.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, in the present invention, when the IC card has two or more notches, the notches must be asymmetrically arranged. However, one notch is provided on one side surface. May be. Also, in the IC card, I / O coils were arranged in relation to the reader / writer,
When detecting an IC card with light, etc., it may be formed so as to detect the perforated part without providing a coil, or it can be formed so that it can be detected geometrically. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above-described embodiments, according to the structure of the card case according to the present invention, one of the four corners is formed thinner than the other corners and the IC is formed with the concave portion on the side surface.
When inserting the card into the specified storage position in the card case, the thin corners are regulated by the restriction piece before it reaches the storage position by an artificial insertion operation, and the engagement piece is inserted into the IC card recess. A click feeling can be obtained by elastically engaging.

In addition, if one side of the IC card is elastically pressed by the pressing piece when the IC card is inserted, one side of the IC card is elastically pressed and supported at the storage position and the proper state of the IC card is detected. Positioning and pressure holding can be achieved simply and reliably.

In addition, by restricting and guiding only the thin corners of the IC card so that each member that engages with the recess when it reaches the mounting position and presses and holds is integrally molded with the case that houses the IC card, Since the structure is simple, the device can be extremely miniaturized, and the assembly is easy, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, since the IC card and the printed circuit board are arranged close to each other, information can be transferred. If a possible configuration is additionally adopted, the IC card is pressed and held at the storage position, so that it is possible to more surely exchange information between the IC card and the printed circuit board, which is an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a case structure of an IC card reader / writer according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part of the IC card storage case seen from the back side, and FIG. 2 is an IC card attached to the IC card storage case. External perspective view of reader / writer substrate, third
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the IC card storage case seen from the back side, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part of the IC card storage case seen from the front, and FIG. 5A is an embodiment of the IC card according to the present invention. FIG. 5 (b) is a perspective view showing the cutout portion of the IC card, and FIG. 6 shows the basic structure of the IC card according to the present invention and the reader / writer corresponding thereto. It is a schematic explanatory drawing. 10 …… IC card, 12 …… Printed circuit 14 …… Input coil, 16 …… Output coil 18 …… Lead wire, 20,21,22 …… Notch 28 …… Printed circuit board, 30 …… Transmission coil 32… … Reception coil, 36 …… Transmission circuit 38 …… Reception circuit 40 …… IC card storage case 42,44 …… Opening part, 45 …… Opening / closing door 46 …… Card insertion slot, 48,50,52 …… Guide piece 54: guide rail, 56, 58: guide side portion 60: locking portion, 62: lock lever 64: engaging portion, 66: pressing member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A structure of a card case for accommodating an IC card, wherein one of the four corners is notched in the upper surface and is formed in a notched step portion which is thinner than the other corners, and has a concave portion on the side surface. An insertion opening into which the IC card is inserted, and a pair of upper surfaces for restraining and guiding the upper surfaces of both side edges of the IC card with a pair of guide guides provided on both side edges of the insertion card for guiding the IC card to a predetermined storage position. The guide piece and a pair of guide rails for guiding the lower surface thereof, and a pair of guide side portions for guiding both longitudinal side surfaces of the IC card, and the upper surface guide piece along the one upper surface guide piece. A restricting piece that is provided below with a thickness and restricts only the cut-out step portion so that it can pass, and the IC card that is provided along the one guide side portion and is in pressure contact with the guide side portion of the IC card. When you are guided to the prescribed storage position An engaging portion that is elastically fitted into the recess, and both side edge upper surfaces of the IC card provided on the bottom surface inside the card case on the guide rail are elastically pressed against the upper guide pieces and the IC card A pressing piece that elastically presses the notched step portion against the restriction piece, is integrally molded with resin together with the insertion opening and the pair of guide guides,
A structure of a card case, characterized in that a printed circuit board for transmitting information to and from the IC card is arranged on an upper surface of the card case.