JP2003264016A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a card connector capable of detecting a locked state of a card holder and detecting whether or not a card is mounted on the card holder. A card connector includes a base plate provided with a first switch contact (40) and a second switch contact (50), and a card holder (20) supported by the base plate so as to swing up and down to receive and hold a card. .
The first switch contact 40 has a contact portion 40d that can move up and down, and the second switch contact 50 has a contact portion 50e that can move left and right. When the card holder 20 receiving and holding the card is swung to the closed position, the first switch contact 40 moves the contact portion 40d to the same vertical position as the contact portion 50e, and the second switch contact 5
0, when the card holder 20 in the closed position is slid forward to lock the card holder 20, the contact portion 50e moves to a position where the contact portion 50e can contact the contact portion 40d in plan view.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card connector, and more specifically, it is interposed between a card such as a memory card capable of recording predetermined information and an electronic device to transmit information between them. The present invention relates to a card connector that enables the card to be attached, and more particularly to a card connector having a configuration in which a card is attached and detached via a card holder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A memory card has a small IC chip inside and can record various information.
Memory cards are also used in small portable devices. For example, GSM (Global Systems for
SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) as an ID card for mobile communication type mobile phones
A small memory card called a card is used, and information transmission is performed with an electronic device or the like via a card connector mounted on a substrate.

Various types of card connectors have been conventionally proposed as card connectors used in portable devices. For example, a card mounting space is provided inside the back cover of the device, and after mounting the card so that the surface terminals of the memory card (hereinafter referred to as the card) come into contact with the contacts at the back of the mounting space, It is known that the back cover of the device is attached. Although the card connector with such a configuration is simple in configuration, it has the drawback that it is difficult to attach / detach the card, and when the card is attached / detached too strongly, or when the card is rubbed in the direction orthogonal to the contact extension direction. To
There is a problem that the surface terminals and contacts may be damaged.

Therefore, in order to deal with the above problem, the card user does not directly handle the card to bring the surface terminal and the contact into contact with each other, but once the card is attached to the card holder and the card holder is swung to rotate the surface terminal. There has been proposed a card connector having a structure in which a contact and a contact are contacted.

An example of a card connector having such a card holder is shown in FIG. As shown in the figure,
The card connector 100 includes a plurality of contacts 110.
The rear end side of the card holder 130 is pivotally connected to the base plate 120 provided with, and the front end side is swingably supported up and down. Card holder 130
Has a card holding portion having an insertion hole on the front side and capable of receiving and holding the card 80, and the card holder 130 holding and holding the card 80 is held in the card holding portion by the base plate 12
When the card 80 is swung to the closed position so as to cover the upper surface of the card 0, the surface terminal 82 of the card 80 comes into contact with the corresponding base contact 110, and the card holder 130 is moved forward in the closed position. When slid, the card holder 130 is locked to the base plate 120 by the lock mechanism 65 provided on the card holder 130 and the base plate 120.

A card presence / absence detection switch mechanism for detecting the presence / absence of the card 80 is mounted on the card connector 100 so that the portable device side can determine whether or not the card 80 is attached to the card holder 130. Some have been proposed. An example of the card presence / absence detection switch mechanism is an upper contact 111 arranged at one end of the base plate 120 in the left-right direction and extending in the front-rear direction on the front side and the rear side of the base plate 120, respectively.
And the lower contact 115.

The lower contact 115 will be described by further adding FIG. 8B. The lower contact 115 extends from the front end side to the rear end side of the base plate 120, and the lower base portion 11 is provided.
A lower contact arm portion 115 having a convex lower contact portion 115c that is bent outward in the left-right direction from the tip end portion of 5a, is bent again toward the rear end side, extends to the rear end side, and protrudes upward at the tip end.
and b. On the other hand, the upper contact 1
Reference numeral 11 denotes an upper base portion 111a extending from the rear end side of the base plate 120 to the front end side, a part of which is bent obliquely upward, and a front end portion extending to a position above the lower base portion 155a of the lower contact 115, and a tip end of the upper base portion 111a. And an upper contact arm 111b having a convex upper contact portion 111c which is folded back from the portion to the rear end side and extends to the rear end side above the lower contact arm portion 115b and projects downward at the front end. The upper contact portion 111c is disposed above the lower contact portion 115c.

The lower contact 115 and the upper contact 111 are made of an elastically deformable metal material, and when the card holder 130 is swung to the closed position while the card 80 is mounted in the card holder 130, the card 80 is moved.
The lower surface of the upper contact arm 111a abuts on the tip of the upper contact arm 111a of the upper contact 111.
1a elastically deforms downward to bring the upper contact portion 111c into contact with the lower contact portion 115c, and as a result, the lower contact 115 and the upper contact 111 are electrically connected.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9A, in the card connector 100, the card holder 130 is locked to the base plate 120 by the lock mechanism 65 in a state where the card holder 130 is closed to the base plate 120. There is also proposed a device equipped with a lock presence / absence detection switch mechanism for detecting whether or not there is a state. This lock presence / absence detection switch mechanism includes contacts 100a, 100b respectively arranged in front and rear directions at both front and rear ends of one side end of the base plate 120 in the left and right direction, and one side end of the card holder 130 in the left and right direction. And a plate-shaped switch contact portion 116 that is arranged in a state of extending in the front-rear direction at a position that does not block the insertion hole into which the card 80 is inserted and that is the central portion on the lower surface side of the portion. . When the card holder 130 is swung to the closed position, the switch contact portion 116 comes into contact with the tip of the contact 110b on the rear end side, and the card holder 130 is slid from the closed position to the front side. , Locking mechanism 6
When the card holder 130 is locked to the base plate 120 by 5, the switch contact portion 1
16 is in contact with the rear contact 110b and in contact with the front end of the front contact 110a. As a result, the pair of contacts 110a and 110b are electrically connected via the switch contact portion 116.

[0010]

However, as shown in FIG.
In the card presence / absence detection switch mechanism shown in (a), even when the lock mechanism 65 is released and the card holder 130 is unlocked with respect to the base plate 120, if the card holder 130 is in the closed position, the lower contact 115 and the upper contact 111 are maintained in an electrically connected state. For this reason, in the card presence / absence detection switch mechanism shown in FIG. 8A, even if the portable device equipped with the card connector having this is dropped or the like and the card holder 130 is unlocked, The lock status cannot be detected.

The lock presence / absence detection switch mechanism shown in FIG. 9 (a) can detect whether or not the card holder 130 is in the locked state.
There arises a problem that it is not possible to detect whether or not the card 80 is held in the card 30.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and can detect the locked state of the card holder and also detect whether or not a card is mounted in the card holder. It is intended to provide a card connector.

[0013]

In order to solve the above problems, the card connector of the present invention has a plurality of base contacts (for example, the front base contact 3 in the embodiment).
0, a base plate provided with a rear side base contact 35) and a card holder having a card holding portion for receiving and holding a card, the rear end side of which is pivotally connected to the base plate and the front end side of which is swingably supported. The card holder is configured to receive and hold the card in the card holder in the open position where the card holder is swung upward with respect to the base plate. When the card is swung to the closed position to cover the top surface, the surface terminals of the card come into contact with the corresponding base contacts, and the card holder swung to the closed position is moved along the top surface of the base plate. A card connector that is configured to lock with the base contact in the closed position when the card holder is slid and moved. The base plate is provided with a first switch contact having a vertically movable contact portion and a second switch contact having a horizontally movable contact portion, and the first switch contact receives and holds a card. When the card holder is swung to the closed posture position, the contact portion is moved to substantially the same vertical position as the vertical position of the contact portion, and the second switch contact swings the card holder to the closed posture position. In this state, when the card holder is slid along the upper surface of the base plate to lock the card holder with respect to the base plate, the contact portion moves to a position where it can abut the contact portion in plan view. .

According to the card connector having the above structure, the first
When the card holder that receives and holds the card is swung to the closed posture position, the switch contact moves the contact portion to a vertical position substantially the same as the vertical position of the contact portion, and the second switch contact moves the card holder to the closed posture position. When the card holder is locked with respect to the base plate by sliding it in a state of being swung to, the contact portion moves to a position where it can abut the contact portion in plan view. , If the card holder that receives and holds the card is rocked to the closed position and locked to this base plate, the contact part moves to the same vertical position as the vertical position of the contact part, and the contact part It moves to the contact part side, and the contact part and the contact part come into a state of abutting contact with each other.
The switch contact and the second switch contact can be electrically connected.

In the card connector having the above structure, when the card holder that receives and holds the card is locked with respect to the base plate, the lower surface of the card abuts against the contact portion to move the contact portion downward and move the card holder. Of the second switch contact comes into contact with the tip of the second switch contact to move the contact portion to the contact portion side in the left-right direction, the contact portion comes into contact with the contact portion, and the card is received and held in the card holder. If the card holder is locked when not in contact, the contact part is kept moving to a position above the contact part, and the contact part and the contact part do not come into contact with each other despite the lateral movement of the contact part. It may be configured to be in a state.

According to the card connector having the above construction, when the card holder that receives and holds the card is locked to the base plate, the contact portion moves downward and the contact portion moves to the contact portion side in the left-right direction. Then, the contact portion and the contact portion come into contact with each other. Therefore, when the locked state of the card holder is released in this state, the contact portion moves in the direction separating from the contact portion in the left-right direction, and the first switch. The contact and the second switch contact are electrically disconnected. Also, if the card holder is locked while the card is not being received and held in the card holder, the contact part is held while moving to a position higher than the contact part, and the contact part and the contact part are in the non-contact state. Then, the first switch contact and the second switch contact are electrically disconnected. As a result, the card connector is mounted on a portable device or the like, and when the first switch contact and the second switch contact are electrically connected, the portable device or the like receives a signal from the card connector. In this case, when the mobile device or the like does not receive a signal from the card connector, the mobile device or the like can determine that the card holder is in the unlocked state or the card is not mounted in the card holder.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 is a perspective view of a card connector and a card, FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view of the card connector, FIG. 2 (b) is a side view of the card connector, and FIG. a) in a)
A sectional view of a portion corresponding to the direction of arrow A is shown. In this specification, for convenience of description, the coordinate axes shown in FIG.
The description will be made by defining the directions as left-right and up-down.

The card connector 1 is, as shown in FIG.
A rectangular flat plate-shaped base plate 10, a card holder 20 supported by the base plate 10 so as to be vertically swingable and slidable back and forth, and a base plate 1
It is configured to have a plurality of front side base contacts 30 and rear side base contacts 35 that are press-fitted and fixed to 0, and first switch contacts 40 and second switch contacts 50 that are press-fitted and fixed to the base plate 10. The card holder 20 receives and holds one card 80 (for example, a memory card) in the open position where the card holder 20 is opened with respect to the base plate 10.
In the closed posture position in which the card holder 20 is laid down so as to cover the upper surface of 0, the surface terminal 82 provided on the card 80 and the front base contact 30 are brought into abutting contact with each other, and the surface provided on the card 80. This is a card connector in which the terminal 82 and the rear base contact 35 are brought into contact with each other.

The base plate 10 includes a rectangular flat plate portion 11, shaft support portions 12 and 12 formed on the left and right sides of the rear end side of the plate portion 11 and front holding portions formed on the left and right sides of the front end side of the plate portion 11. 13L, 13R and the central overhanging portion 14 erected on the left and right side portions of the intermediate portion of the plate portion 11,
And a liquid crystal polymer (LC
P) or polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) polyamide imide (PAI) or the like, and is integrally molded into the illustrated shape by a molding means such as injection molding using an electrically insulating resin material.

At the front central portion and the rear central portion of the plate portion 11, three elongated slot-like contact slots 15 extending in the front-rear direction of the plate portion 11 are formed side by side in two rows in the front-rear direction. 15 and plate part 11
A plurality of dovetail-shaped contact holding grooves 16 for holding the front side base contact 30 and the rear side base contact 35 are formed between the front side end surface and the rear side end surface. An elongated switch slot 17 extending in the front-rear direction of the plate portion 11 is formed at the right end portion of the plate portion 11, and a first slot is formed between the switch slot 17 and the front end surface and the rear end surface of the plate portion 11. The dovetail-shaped contact holding groove 16 for holding the switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 is formed, respectively. The switch slot 17 is formed on the front side of the plate portion 11, extends in the front-back direction, and has a rectangular front-side slot portion 17a having a larger opening area than the contact slot 15, and is formed on the rear side of the plate portion 11 in the front-back direction. Extension contact slot 15
Rectangular rear slot portion 17b having a larger opening area than
And a communication slot portion 17c that communicates the front slot portion 17a and the rear slot portion 17b. The communication slot portion 17c connects the front right side position of the front slot portion 17a and the front right side position of the rear slot portion 17b.

The front side base contact 30 is shown in FIG.
3 is fixed in the contact holding groove 16 as shown in FIG.
A base portion 30a shown in (b) and a contact arm portion 3 extending obliquely upward from the base portion 30a in a slender finger shape.
0b, an upwardly convex contact portion 30c formed at the tip of the contact arm portion 30b, and a lead portion 30d bent downward and horizontally folded back from the base portion 30a. For example, for beryllium copper or springs. A thin plate of a conductive metal material such as stainless steel is processed and formed by a forming means such as a fine blanking press to have the shape shown in the drawing.

The front side base contact 30 is shown in FIG.
Contact holding groove 1 formed in the plate portion 11 shown in FIG.
6 is inserted toward the contact slot 15 side, and the base portion 30a is press-fitted into the contact holding groove 16 and attached to the base plate 10. Front base contact 3
When the base portion 30a is fixedly held in the contact holding groove 16, the contact arm portion 30b protruding into the contact slot 15 acts like a cantilevered leaf spring, and the contact portion 30c at the tip of the arm moves up and down. It is swingably supported.

Therefore, the contact portion 30c is positioned so as to project from the contact slot 15 to the upper surface of the plate portion 11 when there is no load, but when pressed from above, the contact arm portion 30b elastically deforms and sways downward. The contact arm portion 30b including the contact portion 30c is moved and accommodated in the contact slot 15 so as to be pushed and sunk. The lead portion 30d bent downward and horizontally folded back from the base portion 30a is located at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the plate portion 11 with the contacts attached, and the positioning pin 18 protruding from the lower surface of the plate portion 18 is positioned. Then, the lead portion 30d aligned with the circuit pattern (not shown) of the mounting board is soldered (surface mount) to the circuit pattern on the board.

Since the rear base contact 35 has the same structure as the front base contact 30, the same reference numerals are given to the same aspect parts and the description thereof will be omitted. Note that the base portion is represented by 35a, the contact arm portion is represented by 35b, the contact portion is represented by 35c, and the lead portion is represented by 35d.

The rear base contact 35 is inserted from the contact holding groove 16 formed in the rear portion of the plate portion 11 toward the contact slot 15, and the base portion 35a is press-fitted into the contact holding groove 16 and attached to the base plate 10. The rear base contact 35 includes the base 3
When 5a is fixedly held in the contact holding groove 16, the contact arm portion 35b projecting to the front side acts like a cantilever-supported leaf spring, and the contact portion 35c at the tip of the arm is swingably supported in the vertical direction. To be done.

For this reason, the card holder 20 swings downward, and the lower surface of the card, which will be described later, is attached to the rear base contact 35.
When the contact portion 35c of the contact arm 35c is pressed from above, the contact arm portion 35b elastically deforms and swings downward,
Are sunk into the contact slot 15 and then received. The lead portion 35d bent downward and horizontally folded back from the base portion 35a is located at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the plate portion 11 in the posture in which this contact is attached, and the positioning pin 18 protruding to the lower surface of the plate portion 18 is formed. The lead portion 35d, which is aligned with the circuit pattern (not shown) of the mounting board, is soldered to the circuit pattern on the board (surface mount).

Now, as shown in FIG. 3A, the first switch contact 40 has the base plate 10 shown in FIG.
A base portion 40a fixed to the contact holding groove 16 formed on the front side of the connecting arm portion 40, a connecting arm portion 40b extending from the base portion 40a in the shape of an elongated finger, and a switch that is folded back from the front end portion of the connecting arm portion 40b and extends upward in the front direction. An arm portion 40c, and a contact portion 40d formed at the tip of the switch arm portion 40c, protruding leftward and bent downward,
A lead portion 40e bent downward and horizontally folded from the base portion 30a. For example, a thin plate of a conductive metal material such as beryllium copper or stainless steel for spring is processed and formed by a forming means such as a fine blanking press. The shape is shown.

The first switch contact 40 is inserted from the contact holding groove 16 formed on the front side of the base plate 10 shown in FIG. 1 toward the front slot portion 17a side, and as shown in FIG. 3C, the base portion 40a. Is press-fitted into the contact holding groove 16 shown in FIG.
Attached to. When the base 40a of the first switch contact 40 is fixedly held in the contact holding groove 16,
The connecting arm portion 40b is accommodated in the front slot portion 17a in a projecting state, and the switch arm portion 40c connected to the connecting arm portion 40b acts like a leaf spring cantilevered by the connecting arm portion 40b, and the arm portion tip end. The contact portion 40d is supported so as to be vertically swingable.

For this reason, the contact portion 40d is positioned so as to project from the front slot portion 17a to the upper surface of the plate portion 11 when there is no load, but when pressed from above, the switch arm portion 40c elastically deforms and moves downward. Swing and contact part 4
The entire switch arm portion 40c including 0d is housed so as to be sunk into the front slot portion 17a. The lead portion 40e that is bent downward and horizontally folded back from the base portion 40a is located at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the plate portion 11 in the state where the contacts are attached, and protrudes from the lower surface of the plate portion as shown in FIG. The lead portion 40e, which is aligned with the circuit pattern (not shown) of the mounting board by the positioning pin 18 shown in c), is soldered (surface mount) to the circuit pattern on the board.

The second switch contact 50 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3A, a base portion 50a fixed to the rear contact holding groove 16 shown in FIG.
A connecting arm portion 50b extending from a in the shape of an elongated finger
A connecting arm portion 50c that bends downward from the tip of the connecting arm portion 50b and bends leftward, and a connecting arm portion 50c.
Of the switch arm portion 50d, which is bent from the front end portion of the switch arm portion 50d to the front side and extends to the front side, a convex contact portion 50e formed at the front end portion of the switch arm portion 50d and protruding to the right side, and the contact portion 5
0e, a contact tip portion 50f extending frontward, a convex protrusion 50g formed at the tip portion of the contact tip portion 50f and protruding leftward, and a lead portion 50h bent downward and horizontally folded from the base portion 50a. Consists of
For example, a thin plate made of a conductive metal material such as beryllium copper or stainless steel for springs is processed and formed by a forming means such as a fine blanking press to have the illustrated shape.
Note that FIG. 3B shows a state in which the front side base contact 30, the rear side base contact 35, the first switch contact 40, and the second switch contact 50 are partially inserted into the base plate 10.

The second switch contact 50 is shown in FIG.
Inserted from the contact holding groove 16 formed on the rear side of the plate portion 11 shown in (b) toward the rear slot portion 17b side, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the base portion 50a becomes the contact holding groove 16. It is press-fitted and attached to the base plate 10. The second switch contact 50 has a base 50.
When a is fixedly held in the contact holding groove 16, the connecting arm portion 50b is accommodated in the rear slot portion 17b in a protruding state, and the tip end portion of the connecting arm portion 50b is provided on the right side of the plate portion 11. Abutting on the rear end of the step 9
The front and rear positions of the second switch contact 50 are positioned. The connecting arm portion 50c shown in FIG.
Located below the lower surface of the connector and extending to the right,
It extends to 7c. The switch arm portion 50d connected to the tip portion of the connection slot portion 17c is provided with the communication slot portion 17d.
It is accommodated in a state in which it is inserted in the front-back direction in c and protrudes into the front slot portion 17a, and the contact portion 50e formed at the tip of the switch arm portion 50d is also protruded into the front slot portion 17a. . Further, when the base portion 50a is fixedly held in the contact holding groove 16, the contact tip end portion 50f connected to the tip end portion of the switch arm portion 50d becomes
The contact tip portion 5 extends upward from the front slot portion 17a and extends to the front side of the base plate 10 along the upper surface of the plate portion 11 on the left side of the front slot portion 17a.
The protruding portion 50g formed at the tip of 0f is the front holding portion 1.
It projects rearward of 3R and leftward of the left side surface of the plate portion 11.

Here, the contact portion 50e is arranged so as to be substantially at the same position as the front and rear position of the contact portion 40d of the first switch contact 40 with respect to the base plate 10.
Therefore, when the first switch contact 40 is unloaded, the contact portion 40d has moved to a position above the front slot portion 17a, so that the contact portion 50e has the contact portion 50e.
Even if the contact portion 50e moves in the inward direction of 0, the contact portion 50e
There is no abutting contact with d. On the other hand, when a load is applied to the first switch contact 40, the contact portion 40d moves into the front slot portion 17a, so when the contact portion 50e moves inside the base plate 10, the contact portion 50e contacts the contact portion 50e. Abut and contact 40d.

The lead portion 50h bent downward and horizontally folded back from the base portion 50a of the second switch contact 50 is located at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the plate portion 11 in a state where the contact is attached. And the circuit pattern (not shown) of the mounting board with the positioning pins 18 shown in FIG. 2C protruding from the lower surface of the plate portion.
The lead portion 30d aligned with is soldered (surface mount) to the circuit pattern on the substrate.

Now, as shown in FIG. 1, the card holder 2
At 0, a card holding portion 21 is formed which opens at the front end and extends in the front-rear direction to receive and hold the card 80. The card holding portion 21 has an opening on the lower surface side, and has a front protruding portion 22 that extends forward and backward on both left and right side portions on the front end side and projects inward to hold both left and right end portions of the card 80. Rear bulging portions 28, 28 extending toward the rear end side are formed at substantially central portions of both left and right ends of the card holder 20, and the rear bulging portions 28, 2 are formed.
A rear stage portion 28a protruding forward is formed at the tip portion of 8. A front step portion 22a protruding forward is formed at the front end of the front elongated portion 22, and a stopper 24 protruding forward is formed inside the rear end of the card holding portion 21.
The card holder 20 is integrally molded using the same resin material as the base plate 10.

The front end of the front extended portion 22 formed in the card holding portion 21 is formed in a "U" shape having an opening on the center side. The front extended portion 22 formed in the "U" shape is ,
The card 80 inserted through the card insertion slot 59 formed at the front end is guided by the inner surface of the front elongated portion 22 so that the card 80 can be smoothly inserted.

The stopper 24 formed on the rear side of the card holder 20 is a card 80 inserted in the card holder 20.
The card 80 is positioned in the card holder 20 by bringing the tip end (the end on the side inserted into the card holder 20) into contact. A taper portion 83 for clarifying the orientation of the card 80 is formed at the right corner portion on the rear end side of the main body portion 81 of the card 80 shown in FIG. 1. The card 80 has the taper portion 83. It is inserted into the card holder 20 in a posture in which it is positioned on the rear right side with respect to the insertion direction of 80 (at this time, the surface terminal 82 on the back surface of the card becomes the lower surface in the fall direction).

The rear end portions of the rear projections 28, 28 formed on the left and right of the card holder 20 extend from the rear end of the card holder 20, and as shown in FIG. A semi-cylindrical shaft portion 22c protruding inward is formed.

On the other hand, these left and right shaft portions 22c, 22c
For supporting and supporting the base plate on the side of the base plate 12, 1
2 is a slide regulation surface 12a, 12 formed on the front and rear
b, a cylindrical surface 12c that is convex downward, and a flank 12d that smoothly connects the front slide restricting surface 12a and the cylindrical surface 12c, and the like. A shaft support space 12s that is open to the outside is formed. A "U" -shaped card holder mounting opening 8 that opens to the left and right in plan view shown in FIG. 2A is formed between the rear slide restricting surface 12b and the cylindrical surface 12c. The shaft portion 22c on the side of the card holder 20 shown in FIG.
Is inserted into the shaft support space 12s by press-fitting it from above the card holder mounting port 8 with its flat surface contacting the cylindrical surface 12c).

In the shaft support space 12s, the downwardly convex cylindrical surface 12c and the upwardly convex shaft portion 22c face each other, and the cylindrical surfaces are always in contact with each other. Further, the distance between the front and rear slide restricting surfaces 12a and 12b in the shaft support space 12s is determined by the shaft portion 22.
The shaft portion 22c is formed to have a diameter larger than that of c, and the shaft portion 22c can move back and forth within the shaft support space 12s. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the card holder 20 has an open posture position in which it is opened with respect to the base plate 10, and a closed posture position in which the card holder 20 is closed on the base plate 10 so as to cover the base contact 30 and the like from above. It is possible to swing up and down (open and close) between.

As shown in FIG. 2B, between the front overhanging portion 22 and the rear overhanging portion 28 of the card holder 20 which is swingably and slidably supported in this way, as shown in FIG.
A cutout portion 61 is formed, and a lock mechanism 65 is provided between the rear portion of the central overhanging portion 14 and the front portion of the rear overhanging portion 28 that move in the cutout portion 61.

The lock mechanism 65 includes the left and right central projecting portions 14
A plate-side lock arm 14m formed at the rear of the
It comprises a holder-side lock arm 28m formed on the front part of the rear overhanging part 28. Plate side lock arm 14m
Is configured by forming a downward convex protrusion 14m2 on the rear end side of an arm portion 14m1 that projects rearward from the upper rear portion of the central overhanging portion 14, and the holder-side lock arm 28m includes the rear overhanging portion 28m. An upward convex protrusion 28m2 is formed on the front end side of an arm portion 28m1 that protrudes forward from the lower front portion.

The front holding portions 13L and 13R shown in FIG. 2 (a) formed on the left and right front end portions of the base plate 10 are also shown.
The front step portion 22 formed at the front end portion of the front overhanging portions 22 and 22 extending toward the front end side of the card holder 20 is provided on each bottom surface side portion of
Holding grooves 13h, 13h for receiving a are formed.
When the card holder 20 is laid down and the card holder 20 is slid forward of the base plate 10, the front groove 22 of the card holder 20 is held between the holding groove 13h on the base plate 10 side and the front step 22a on the card holder 20 side.
a is guided and fitted into the holding groove 13h of the base plate 10.

Further, a cam mechanism (guide mechanism) 69 is provided between the front portion of the central overhanging portion 14 and the rear portion of the front overhanging portion 22 which move in the notch portion 61. Cam mechanism 6
Reference numeral 9 denotes an arc-shaped first cam surface (guide surface) 1 that is obliquely inclined from the upper end surface of the central overhanging portion 14 toward the plate portion 11.
4f, and an arc-shaped second cam surface (sliding surface) 22f that is formed on the rear edge of the front overhanging portion 22 and inclines obliquely downward.
And is configured. Therefore, when the card holder 20 is swung down to the closed position, the second cam surface 22
f comes into contact with the first cam surface 14f and slides on this surface, and the card holder 20 is guided so as to slide forward of the base plate 10 while swinging and falling.

When the cam mechanism 69 is provided in this way, FIG.
As shown in, the card holder 20 holding the card 80
When the card holder 20 is swung downward, the card holder 20 tilts down so as to cover the upper surface of the base plate 10 with the shaft portion 22c shown in FIG. 4 as the swing center, and when the card holder 20 is further swung downward, While the arcuate surface of the shaft portion 22c shown in FIG. 7 slides in contact with the slide restricting surface 12b and the cylindrical surface 12c, the shaft portion 22c rotates in the clockwise direction, and as shown in FIG. The base plate 10 is laid down so as to cover the upper surface thereof. And further, the card holder 20
7B, the second cam surface 22f of the card holder 20 comes into contact with the first cam surface 14f, and at this time, the force of pushing down the card holder 20 is applied to both cam surfaces 14f and 22f. The card holder 20 is slid forward by acting in the contact normal direction.

As a result, the card holder 20 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the arc-shaped protrusion 28m2 of the holder-side lock arm 28m moves over the arc-shaped protrusion 14m2 of the plate-side lock arm 14m and engages with each other, so that the card holder 20 moves in the front-rear direction. Free movement is regulated. Further, in this engaged state, the arm portions 14m1 and 28m1 that are vertically assembled together prevent the card holder 20 from swinging in the opening direction. Further, in the closed position, the front-stage parts 22a, 22a are fitted into the holding grooves 13h, 13h to restrict the swing of the card holder 20 in the opening direction.

As shown in FIG. 7B, of the left and right front holding portions 13L and 13R, the right front holding portion 13R is
A card holding wall 13Ra that faces the taper portion 83 formed at the right corner of the card 80 held by the card holder 20.
Are formed. The card holding wall 13Ra holds the card 80 in the front-rear direction with the stopper 24 shown in FIG. 1 on the rear end side of the card holder when the card holder 20 is closed, and an impact force acts in the front-rear direction. When this is done, the card 80 that slides and moves due to the reaction force is abutted and supported to prevent the card 80 from falling off.

Next, the procedure for attaching the card 80 to the card connector 1 having the above-described configuration and the operation of each part will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the card holder 2
In the open position in which 0 is opened upward, the front end of the card 80 is inserted in parallel with the card holder 20 through the card insertion slot 59 of the card holder 21. The card 80 moves in the card holding portion 21, and the front end surface of the card 80 is stopped by the stopper 24.
It is held by the card holder 20 at the position where it comes into contact with.

Subsequently, when the card holder 20 holding the card 80 is swung in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 5, the card holder 20 is, as shown in FIG. 7A, the shaft portion 22c shown in FIG. The swinging center is a swing center so as to cover the upper surface of the base plate 10, and the cam mechanism 69 shown in FIG. 2B causes the card holder 20 to swing forward as shown in FIG. 7B. It slides to and moves to the closed position. Then, when the card holder 20 is slid forward along the upper surface of the base plate 10 in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2B, the front stage portion 22a of the card holder 20 is held in the holding groove of the base plate 10. 13h enters and is locked and held, and plate side lock arm 14m and holder side lock arm 28m
Are engaged with each other, and the card holder 20 is locked and held in the closed posture.

The operation of the first switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 will now be described. When the card holder 20 shown in FIG. 7B is swung down to the closed posture position, as shown in FIG. 6A, the lower surface on the right front end of the card 80 shown in FIG.
The contact portion 40d is brought into contact with the upper surface of the contact portion 40d of 0 to press and move the contact portion 40d downward, and the contact portion 40d moves to the substantially same vertical position as the vertical position of the contact portion 50e of the second switch contact 50. At this time, the card holder 2 shown in FIG.
When 0 is rocked to the closed position, the front extension 22
Since the front end of the front protruding portion 22 is located rearward of the protruding portion 50g, the front end of the front overhanging portion 22 does not contact the protruding portion 50g.

Subsequently, the card holder 2 shown in FIG.
When 0 is slid to the front side, as shown in FIG. 6B, the inner side surface 22b of the front elongated portion 22 comes into contact with the protrusion 50g at the tip of the second switch contact 50, and the protrusion 5
0 g is pressed and moved to the contact portion 40d side in the left-right direction. As a result, the entire switch arm portion 50d bends toward the contact portion 40d, and the contact portion 50e moves toward the contact portion 40d. At this time, since the vertical position of the contact portion 40d is substantially the same as that of the contact portion 50e as described above, the contact portion 50e
Is held in contact with the contact portion 40d, and the first switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 are held.
Are electrically connected.

Here, when the card connector 1 according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on a portable device or the like not shown, and the first switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 are electrically connected, a signal is generated. Assume that a portable device or the like is configured to receive the information. The card 80 is attached to the card holder 20 shown in FIG. 5, and the card holder 2 is locked by the lock mechanism 65 shown in FIG.
When 0 is locked with respect to the base plate 10, a portable device or the like may fall and the card holder 20
When the locked state is released, the first switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 are brought into non-contact with each other, as shown in FIG. This is because when the lock of the card holder 20 is released, the front end portion of the front extended portion 22 has a protruding portion 50g at the front end of the second switch contact 50.
The entire switch arm portion 50d, which has moved to the rear end side and is bent toward the contact portion 40d, swings in the leftward and rightward direction away from the contact portion 40d (leftward direction in FIG. 6), and the contact portion 50e is moved. This is for separating from the contact portion 40d.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the card 80 is not attached to the card holder 20 and the card holder 20 is locked with respect to the base plate 10, as shown in FIG. ),
The contact portion 50e of the second switch contact 50 moves to the contact portion 40d side in the left-right direction in plan view and moves to the contact portion 4d.
Although the switch arm portion 40c of the first switch contact 40 is located at the position where it can come into contact with the card 8d,
Since there is no pressing by 0, the switch arm portion 40c is in the original state. Therefore, the contact portion 40d is located above the front slot portion 17a shown in FIG. 3C, and the contact portion 40d and the contact portion 50e are in a non-contact state.

As a result, when the portable device or the like is in a state of not receiving the signal from the card connector 1 as described above,
It can be determined that the card holder 20 is unlocked or the card 80 is not loaded with the card 80.

In the above-described embodiment, the first switch contact 40 and the second switch contact 50 are arranged at the left end of the base plate 10 as shown in FIG. 1, but at the right end of the base plate 10. You may arrange. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the card holder 20 is configured to be slidable on the upper surface of the base plate 10 to the front side. However, the card holder 20 is slidable on the upper surface of the base plate 10 to the rear side, left side, or right side. It may be slidable.

[0055]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the card holder that receives and holds the card is swung to the closed position, the first switch contact moves the contact portion to substantially the same vertical position as the vertical position of the contact portion, and the second switch contact closes the card holder. When the card holder is locked with respect to the base plate by sliding it while swinging to the posture position, in plan view,
By configuring the contact portion to move to a position where it can abut the contact portion, the card holder that receives and holds the card is swung to the closed position, and is locked to the base plate. The contact portion moves to a vertical position substantially the same as the vertical position of the contact portion, the contact portion moves to the contact portion side, and the contact portion and the contact portion come into contact and contact with each other.
The switch contact and the second switch contact can be electrically connected.

When the card holder that receives and holds the card is locked with respect to the base plate, the contact portion is pushed downward and the contact portion is pushed and moved to the contact portion side in the left-right direction, and the contact portion is pushed. When the card holder is unlocked in this state, the contact portion moves in the direction away from the contact portion in the left-right direction, and the first switch contact And the second switch contact are electrically disconnected. If the card holder is locked while the card is not being received and held in the card holder, the contact part is held while moving to a position higher than the contact part, and the contact part and the contact part are in the non-contact state. In such a configuration, when the card holder is locked while the card holder is not receiving and holding the card, the first switch contact and the second switch contact are electrically disconnected. As a result, when the card connector is mounted on a portable device or the like and the first switch contact and the second switch contact are electrically connected,
If the mobile device is configured to receive a signal from the card connector and the mobile device does not receive the signal from the card connector, the mobile device may have the card holder unlocked or the card holder. It is possible to determine that the card is not mounted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a memory card attached to the card connector.

FIG. 2 shows a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view of the card connector when the card holder is locked with respect to the base plate, and FIG. Is a side view of the card connector, and FIG. 7C is a sectional view of a portion corresponding to the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a base plate according to an embodiment of the present invention and a first switch contact and a second switch contact attached to the base plate, FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the first switch contact and the second switch contact. FIG. 6B is a perspective view showing a state in which a part of the first switch contact and the second switch contact are temporarily inserted in the base plate, and FIG. 7C is the first switch contact and the second switch. It is a perspective view showing the state where the contact was attached to the base plate.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the card connector according to the embodiment of the present invention, which is taken along the line BB in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the card holder in which the card is mounted is closed and rocked in the card connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a main part of a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 (a) shows a main part of the card connector when the card holder is slidingly moved to the front side. b) shows a main part of the card connector when the card holder is locked with respect to the base plate.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the card holder in which the card is mounted is closed and rocked in the card connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional card connector and a switch contact attached to the card connector.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a conventional card connector and a switch contact attached thereto.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 card connector 10 base plate 20 card holder 21 Card holder 30 Front base contact (base contact) 35 Rear base contact (base contact) 40 First switch contact 40d contact part 50 Second switch contact 50e Contact part 80 cards 82-sided terminal

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A card holder having a base plate provided with a plurality of base contacts, and a card holder having a rear end pivotally connected to the base plate and a front end swingably supported up and down and receiving and holding a card. The card holder is configured to receive and hold the card in an open posture position in which the card holder is swung upward with respect to the base plate, and the card holder receives the card. When the held card holder is swung to a closed posture position so as to cover the upper surface of the base plate, the surface terminal of the card comes into contact with the corresponding base contact,
When the card holder swung to the closed position is slid along the upper surface of the base plate,
A card connector configured to be locked to the base contact in a closed posture of the card holder, wherein the base plate has a first switch contact having a vertically movable contact portion, and a left and right movable contact. A second switch contact having a contact portion is provided, and when the first switch contact swings the card holder that receives and holds the card to the closed position, the contact portion moves up and down the contact portion. The second switch contact is slidably moved along the upper surface of the base plate in a state where the card holder is swung to the closed posture position, When the card holder is locked to the base plate,
A card connector, wherein the contact portion is configured to move to a position where it can abut the contact portion in a plan view. 2. When the card holder that receives and holds the card is locked with respect to the base plate, the lower surface of the card abuts against the contact portion and pushes and moves the contact portion downward. The tip portion of the card holder contacts the tip portion of the second switch contact to press and move the contact portion toward the contact portion side in the left-right direction, and the contact portion and the contact portion come into contact with each other, When the card holder is locked while the card holder is not receiving and holding the card holder, the contact portion is held while being moved to a position higher than the contact portion, and the contact portion moves in the left-right direction. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion and the contact portion are configured to be in non-contact with each other.