JP2005116240A - Card connector - Google Patents

Abstract

【Task】
To provide a connector for a card that does not damage a contact pin even if a card having a different size is erroneously inserted, and can easily eject the inserted card.
[Solution]
A connector main body 20 in which a plurality of contacts 25 are accommodated, a shutter member 30 that is movably attached to the connector main body 20 and covers the contacts 25 to protect them from the outside, and a CF card 56 inserts the movement of the shutter member 30 A pair of side frames having a locking mechanism that is locked before being inserted and that releases the lock and allows connection between the card contact and the contact 25 of the connector body 20 in conjunction with the insertion of a suitable CF card 56 40a, 40b.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a card connector, and more particularly, to a card connector provided with a prevention mechanism that prevents a contact pin from being bent or damaged even if a card such as a memory card having a different size is erroneously inserted.

Recently, convenience stores, supermarkets, and the like have installed photo printing vending machines that can easily print photos taken with digital cameras.
This photo printing vending machine designates display means for displaying the image data read from the memory card as a so-called thumbnail image for each screen, and specifies the number of prints for each screen while viewing this display. It has an operation panel, and the user can easily print photos taken with a digital camera etc. by specifying and inputting the screen to print in front of the vending machine and the number of copies to be printed. Various kinds of photographic printing vending machines have been developed and introduced in patent literature. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

9 and 10 show a photo printing vending machine described in Patent Document 1 below, FIG. 9 is an external view thereof, and FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a display unit thereof.
As shown in FIG. 9, the photo printing vending machine 1 has a display / operation unit 2, a key input unit 3, a recording medium insertion port 4, an LED 5, a charge display unit 6, a coin insertion port 7a, a bill on its front panel. A port 7b, a return lever 7c, a change port 7d, a print take-out port 8, and the like are provided.
Among them, the display / operation unit 2 includes a liquid crystal display and a touch panel that operates keys, buttons, icons, and the like displayed on the liquid crystal display with a finger, for example, as shown in FIG. In this display / operation unit 2, for example, image information taken with a digital camera or the like is displayed as a thumbnail, and a pay mode or free mode selection icon or the like is also displayed. The user can select the image information displayed as thumbnails, specify the number of prints individually, and print the selected image.

  Below the display / operation unit 2, insertion slots 4a to 4e into which different types of memory cards can be inserted are provided. Of these insertion openings 4a to 4e, the insertion opening 4a is a compact flash (registered trademark) memory card, the insertion opening 4b is a smart media (registered trademark) card, and the insertion opening 4c is a memory stick (registered trademark). 4d is a PC card, and the insertion slot 4e is a slot into which a flexible disk is inserted, and a memory card connector suitable for each memory card is installed in the back rear part of each insertion slot. .

  However, some of the above-mentioned compact flash memory cards, smart media cards, memory sticks and PC cards (hereinafter referred to as cards) are standardized in some cards. It does not exist yet. For this reason, the various cards have different sizes and shapes, and accordingly, the card connectors installed in the rear rear portions of the respective insertion ports 4a to 4e are also adapted to the respective cards. Thus, the dimensions, shapes, etc. are different.

As this type of card connector, many types of connectors have been developed and introduced in patent literature. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).
The card connector described in Patent Document 2 below has a configuration in which the side surface of the inserted card is pressed and held by a pressing mechanism. However, this connector has a risk that the card inserted into the card holder pops out when an impact is applied from the outside. Therefore, a shutter that closes the card insertion slot into which the card is inserted is provided, and the card is prevented from popping out by closing the shutter. Therefore, in this type of connector, since a shutter must be provided separately from the connector, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size, and that the number of parts increases and the manufacturing cost increases.
In view of this problem, a connector that does not require a shutter is also known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 3).

  The card connector described in the following Patent Document 3 includes a housing that forms an insertion portion into which a card is inserted, and a contact that is formed inside the housing and extends in the insertion direction so as to contact a terminal of the card. When the card is inserted into the insertion portion and reaches the vicinity of a predetermined mounting position, the terminal includes a lock mechanism that engages with a concave portion on the side of the card to lock the card in the mounting position.

  According to this connector, the card inserted into the housing mounting position can be prevented from dropping out and pulled out, and the card can be locked when the housing mounting position is reached. Therefore, the insertion operation can be performed smoothly, the card can be prevented from being damaged by the lock mechanism, and no special shutter mechanism is required.

  In addition, the inserted card becomes unnecessary when a photograph or the like is printed, and must be removed from the connector. This removal is usually done by picking the edge of the card with your finger, but if the contact contact is strong, it cannot be pulled out easily, and the card insertion slot is also a narrow place, so it can be pulled out easily. Not. In view of this point, a connector is also known which is integrally provided with an eject mechanism that facilitates card ejection. (For example, refer to Patent Document 4).

  The card connector described in the following Patent Document 4 is provided with an eject mechanism having a cam member on one side of the housing, and engages with the linear side edge of the card discharged by the cam member on the other side of the housing. The elastic engagement member for restricting the movement of the card in the discharging direction is provided. According to this configuration, the card can be prevented from dropping when the card accommodated by the eject mechanism having the cam member is discharged, and the card can be easily taken out when the card is taken out by hand.

JP 2001-283321 (FIGS. 1 and 2, paragraphs [0012] to [0015]) JP 2000-251024 (FIG. 1, right column on page 3) JP 2003-86296 A (FIG. 2, paragraphs [0015] to [0021]) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-26084 (FIG. 1, paragraphs [0019] to [0020])

  However, various cards such as the above compact flash memory card, smart media card, memory stick, and PC card are standardized in some cards. Does not yet exist. For this reason, the various cards have different sizes and shapes, and accordingly, the card connector has a structure adapted to each card.

  As a result, a user such as a photo printing vending machine may accidentally insert a small card into a large card slot. If an incompatible card is forcibly pushed into the insertion slot, the contact pins of the connector may be deformed or damaged. In addition, even in the same size insertion slot, the card may be inserted upside down or upside down, and this reverse difference or the like may cause similar damage. Furthermore, dust and dust are likely to adhere to the contact pins of the connector, which may cause poor contact.

  Further, the connector described in Patent Document 2 cannot reliably hold the inserted card, and it is necessary to provide a shutter to prevent the card from jumping out to the card insertion slot. Must be provided separately from the connector. In addition, the connector described in Patent Document 3 is provided with a lock mechanism without providing a shutter so that the card inserted into the mounting position of the housing can be prevented from dropping and withdrawing. However, the above-mentioned problem that occurs when installed in a photo printing vending machine or the like cannot be solved. Furthermore, the connector described in Patent Document 4 cannot be solved.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems of the prior art,
A first object of the present invention is to provide a card connector having a prevention mechanism that prevents a contact pin from being bent or damaged even if a card having a different size is erroneously inserted.

  In addition to the above object, a second object is to provide a card connector provided with an eject mechanism for easily ejecting an inserted card.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a card connector comprising: a connector main body that accommodates a plurality of contacts; a shutter member that is movably attached to the connector main body and covers the contact to protect it from the outside; and the movement of the shutter member A pair of side frames having a lock mechanism that locks the card before the card is inserted and releases the lock in conjunction with the insertion of a compatible card to allow the connection between the card contact and the connector body contact. It is characterized by including these.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the card connector according to the first aspect, wherein the shutter member has an insertion hole capable of accommodating the predetermined contacts one by one, and the card is inserted before the card is inserted. The contact is exposed through the insertion hole as the card is inserted into the insertion hole, and the card contact and the contact of the connector main body are connected.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to the first or second aspect, the pair of side frames are detachably attached to both side walls of the connector main body.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the memory card connector according to any one of the first to third aspects, the pair of side frames are provided with the locking mechanism.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to the fourth aspect, the lock mechanism is deformed when the card is mounted, the shutter member is released, and the card member is returned to the engaged state with the shutter member when the card is removed. A locking spring member.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the pair of side frames are provided with mounting means for attaching an ejection mechanism for discharging the card to both ends in the longitudinal direction. It is characterized by being.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to the sixth aspect, one end of the eject mechanism is brought into contact with the front end of the card, the other end is coupled to the operation lever, and is pivotally supported by the eject plate therebetween. And a card is ejected by utilizing the lever action of the operating lever by operating the operating lever.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to the seventh aspect, the eject plate is made of a metal plate, covers the connector main body and the previous shutter member, and is mounted on the pair of side frames. It is characterized by.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the card connector according to the seventh or eighth aspect, the ejecting plate is provided with locking means at four corners, and the locking means is a fixing portion for fixing to the pair of side frames. And a device mounting portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the lock mechanism is released when a card of a suitable size is inserted, and the lock mechanism is not released even when a card of a different size is inserted, and insertion of the card is prevented by the shutter member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contact (contact pin) from being deformed or broken. Even when the card is inserted upside down, the locking mechanism is not released, so that the contact is protected. Furthermore, since the card insertion slot is closed by the shutter member before the contact is inserted, it is possible to prevent dust, dust and the like from adhering to the contact.

  According to the invention of claim 2, since the tip of the contact is accommodated in the insertion hole of the shutter member before the card is inserted, the contact of the card remains in the connector main body even when a card of a different size is inserted. The connector is not touched and is not damaged.

  According to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of claim 1, since the parts of the connector main body, the shutter member and the side frame can be configured separately, the manufacture of the parts is simplified and the assembly thereof is also easy. Become. Also, these parts can be easily replaced.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the side frame can be manufactured separately from the connector main body and the shutter member, it is easy to attach the lock mechanism to the side frame, and the side frame and the lock mechanism are exchanged and repaired. Becomes easier.

  According to the invention of claim 5, since the lock mechanism can be formed of a spring body, it can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

According to the invention of claim 6, the eject mechanism can be easily attached to the connector. In addition, when the eject mechanism breaks down, it can be easily removed and replaced easily.
Furthermore, when an ejection mechanism is unnecessary, it can be used as a connector without a normal ejection mechanism.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the loaded card can be discharged out of the connector with a small force by utilizing the lever action of the operating lever.

  According to the invention of claim 8, the connector is covered with the metal eject plate, and noise can be shielded by the eject plate. That is, even when electromagnetic induction noise is induced from a mounted electronic component or the like and a current based on the electromagnetic induction noise flows to the eject plate, the noise can be shielded by grounding via the mounting portion of the eject plate.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the eject mechanism can be fixed to the side frame by the locking means provided on the eject plate, and the connector can be easily attached to a device such as a board. Further, by fixing the pair of side frames with the eject plate, the side frames can be accurately positioned, and an accurate card mounting space can be formed between them.

  Hereinafter, the best embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment shown below exemplifies a card connector for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and is not intended to specify the present invention for this card connector. Other embodiments within the scope of the claims are equally applicable.

  1A and 1B show a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a left side view, FIG. 1C is a right side view, and FIG. ) Is a rear view, FIG. 2 is a bottom view of FIG. 1 (a), FIG. 3 is a connector main body of components constituting the connector of FIG. 1, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a left side view. , (C) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, (e) is a rear view, (f) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of (a), and FIG. 4 is a diagram of components constituting the connector of FIG. The shutter member is shown, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, (e) is a rear view, and (f) is (a). It is FF sectional drawing of).

  The card connector is a connector installed in an information device that provides various services, such as the photo printing vending machine, and a plurality of card connectors are installed in this type of device. In the present embodiment, one of them, a card connector (hereinafter referred to as a connector) connected to a compact flash memory card (hereinafter referred to as a CF card) will be described. The other card connectors have the same basic configuration except that they have different dimensions, shapes, etc. according to the various cards. Therefore, description of connectors that are compatible with other cards is omitted.

  1 and 2, the connector 10 includes a connector main body 20 to which a plurality of contacts are mounted, a shutter member 30 that protects these contacts, and a pair of side frames 40a that guide insertion of a CF card. 40b, and a space 55 for receiving a CF card is formed between the pair of side frames 40a, 40b.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the connector main body 20 is made of a thick block-shaped resin molded product, and includes a housing 21 having a through hole 22 for accommodating a contact, and a contact 25 accommodated in the through hole 22. Consists of. A plurality of through holes 22 are provided at equal intervals perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing 21, and the provided through holes 22 are provided in two upper and lower stages. The contact 25 is a contact pin 25a that is pointed so that one end is connected to the socket of the CF card, and the other end is a terminal 25b that is solder-connected to a printed circuit board or the like. The plurality of contacts 25 are housed and mounted in the through holes 22 of the housing 21 so that the contact pins 25a protrude in the direction in which the CF card is inserted.

The housing 21 is inserted into the projections 23a and 23b inserted into the slide guide grooves 34a and 34b of the shutter member 30 at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the openings 42a ₁ and 42b ₁ of the pair of side frames 40a and 40b. Mounting protrusions 22a and 22b are formed. Also, spring mounting recesses 24 a and 24 b for receiving the coil springs 26 a and 26 b are formed near both ends of the housing 21 on the side facing the shutter member 30. (See FIG. 3 (d)).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the shutter member 30 is made of a resin molded product formed in a substantially U shape, and has a frame 31 in which insertion holes 32 through which the contacts 25 can be inserted individually are formed. The frame 31 includes a pair of arm pieces 33a and 33b formed so as to protrude from both sides. In the frame 31, the same number of insertion holes 32 as the contacts 25 attached to the connector main body 20 are formed corresponding to the through holes 22 of the connector main body 20. The insertion holes 32 provided in the frame may allow a plurality of contacts to be inserted instead of one by one.

  Protrusions 37 a and 37 b (see FIG. 4E) that receive the coil springs 26 a and 26 b are formed in the vicinity of both ends of the frame 31 in parallel with the insertion hole 32. Further, rails 38a and 38b that can be slidably engaged with key grooves (not shown) on both sides of the CF card to guide the CF card are provided at ends opposite to both ends, and an ejection mechanism. The concave grooves 39a and 39b into which the actuating lever 75 is inserted are formed.

The arm pieces 33a and 33b are formed with substantially U-shaped slide guide grooves 34a and 34b so that they can be slidably engaged with the protrusions 23a and 23b of the connector main body 20, respectively. Protrusions 34a ₁ , 34b ₁ for preventing the mounting protrusions 22a, 22b from falling off are formed at the open ends of the slide guide grooves 34a, 34b, and the protrusions 34a ₁ , 34b ₁ are formed by these protrusions. Are assembled with the coil springs 26a and 26b interposed, and the assembly is prevented from being disassembled. In addition, the arm pieces 33a and 33b are formed with depressions 36a and 36b, respectively, into which the locking portions 53a and 53b of the lock mechanism are inserted.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pair of side frames 40 a and 40 b are made of a substantially prismatic resin molded product. Each of the side frames 40a and 40b extends on the inner side from the front end portion to the vicinity of the middle portion, and rails 41a and 41b are formed as guide members for guiding the CF card. These rails 41a and 41b are slidably engaged with key grooves (not shown) formed on both sides of the CF card, assisting the CF card mounting operation, and the connector 10 with the CF card turned upside down. It is prevented from being attached to.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, each side frame 40a, 40b is formed with openings 42a ₁ , 42b ₁ into which the mounting projections 22a, 22b of the connector body 20 are inserted in the vicinity of the other end. Yes. The size of each opening is preferably such that each mounting projection 22a, 22b is press-fitted.

Each side frame 40a, 40b is provided with attachment holes 47a ₁ , 47a ₂ , 47b ₁ , 47b ₂ such as covers in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction. Reference numerals 46a ₁ , 46a ₂ , 46b ₁ , 46b ₂ indicate attachment protrusions to the device.
Each side frame 40a, 40b is formed with step portions 43a, 43b at substantially the center thereof, and receives the end portions 35a, 35b protruding forward from both side portions of the shutter member 30 by these step portions 43a, 43b. Be able to. (See FIGS. 2 and 4.)

Further, the side frames 40a and 40b are provided with concave grooves 44a and 44b for attaching the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b constituting the locking mechanism. The locking spring pieces 50a and 50b are formed by deforming iron wires. The locking spring pieces 50a and 50b are angled so as to protrude toward the space 55 into which the card is inserted and the mounting portions 51a and 51b bent in a substantially U shape. The contact portions 52a and 52b (see FIG. 6) deformed into the shape, and the locking member having the tip portion extending from the contact portions 52a and 52b toward the shutter member 30 and bent toward the side surface of the shutter member 30. It consists of parts 53a and 53b. The attachment portions 51a and 51b are fitted into protrusions 45a and 45b provided near the tips of the side frames 40a and 40b, and the ends are locked by the locking protrusions 49a and 49b.
When the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b are attached to the concave grooves 44a and 44b in this way, the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b are expanded, that is, the locking portions 53a and 53b are located on the side of the shutter member 30. Generates a force in the direction to go.

  The contact portions 52a and 52b of the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b protrude from the surfaces of the step portions 43a and 43b. Therefore, in the process in which the CF card 56 is inserted along the rails 41a and 41b, the contact portions 52a and 52b and the side surfaces of the CF card 56 come into contact with each other. , 53b are pushed against the spring force of the locking spring pieces 50a, 50b. Accordingly, the locking portions 53a and 53b are displaced in a direction away from the side portion of the shutter member 30.

  5 shows an assembly of the connector main body 20 and the shutter member 30, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, ) Is a rear view, (f) is a sectional view taken along the line BB of (a), and (g) is a sectional view taken along the line CC of (a).

In this assembly, one end of the coil springs 26a and 26b (see FIG. 1A) is set to the spring mounting recesses 24a and 24b of the connector main body 20, and the other end is the projections 37a and 37b of the shutter member 30 (FIG. 4F). )), The contact 25 accommodated in the connector main body 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 32 of the shutter member 30, and the protrusions 23a and 23b are engaged with the openings 42a ₁ and 42b ₁ of the slide guide grooves 34a and 34b. Assembled by combining.
After the shutter member 30 is assembled in the connector main body 20, the mounting projections 22a and 22b of the connector main body 20 are mounted on the side frames 40a and 40b, respectively.

When the pair of side frames 40a and 40b are attached to the assembly, a space 55 for receiving the CF card 56 is formed between the side frames.
A shutter member 30 that is slidably displaced in a direction parallel to the contact 25 with respect to the connector main body 20 is disposed between the side frames 40a and 40b. The shutter member 30 is for protecting the contact 25 from deformation due to external force, and is between a protection position that covers the contact 25 and a connection position that exposes the contact 25 and allows connection to the CF card 56. It is slidable.

After assembling in this way, a cover (not shown) covering the assembly is attached to the side frames 40a and 40b, and the connector 10 is completed. The cover is made of a substantially rectangular metal plate so as to cover the assembly, and locking means, for example, locking claws are formed at the four corners, and the locking claws are attached to the mounting holes of the side frames. It is preferable to attach by inserting into the holes 47a _{1 to} 47b ₂ .
The connector 10 with the cover attached is attached to a device or the like. For attachment to a device or the like, it is preferable to provide a mounting hole in a substrate in the device, and insert and fix the tip of a locking claw into this hole.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the process of mounting the CF card. In addition, in this figure, it is a bottom view like FIG. 2 so that the locking mechanism can be seen.
FIG. 6A shows a state before the front end of the CF card 56 reaches the contact portions 52a and 52b of the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b. In this state, the shutter member 30 is in a protective position in which the contact 25 of the connector body 20 is buried in the insertion hole 32 (see FIG. 4E) and protected from deformation due to external force. End portions 35a and 35b protruding forward are in contact with the step portions 43a and 43b of the side frames 40a and 40b. At this time, the locking portions 53a and 53b of the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b engage with the recesses 36a and 36b on the side surface of the shutter member 30 to lock the shutter member 30 in the protected position. That is, for example, even if the shutter member 30 is pushed in with fingers, the shutter member 30 does not slide due to the action of the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b. Further, even if one of the contact portions 52a of the two locking spring pieces 50a and 50b is pushed by, for example, a pen tip, the engagement between the locking portion 53a and the recesses 36a and 36b of the shutter member 30 is achieved. Even if the shutter member 30 is released on one side, the sliding of the shutter member 30 is restricted by the engagement of the locking portion 53b and the shutter member 30 on the other side.

  FIG. 6B shows an intermediate state in which the shutter member 30 is further inserted from the state of FIG. In this state, the contact portions 52a and 52b of both locking spring pieces 50a and 50b are pushed inward of the side frames 40a and 40b by the side surfaces of the CF card 56, and accordingly, the locking portions 53a and 53b. And the recesses 36 a and 36 b on the side surface of the shutter member 30 are released on both sides of the shutter member 30. The unlocked shutter member 30 is pushed back by the front end of the CF card 56. At this time, since the connector body 20 is stationary with respect to the side frames 40 a and 40 b, the contact 25 protrudes from the insertion hole 32 of the shutter member 30. This protruding contact 25 is connected in part with a contact (not shown) of the CF card 56.

FIG. 6C shows a state where the CF card 56 is completely inserted from the state shown in FIG. In this state, the rear end surface of the shutter member 30 is in contact with the front end surface of the connector body 20, and further insertion of the CF card 56 is restricted. In this state, the contact 25 is completely connected to the contact (not shown) of the CF card 56.
Further, even if the CF card 56 is to be inserted with its front and back reversed, the rails 41a and 41b of the side frames 40a and 40b do not match the key groove of the CF card, and insertion can be prevented.

  When the CF card 56 is removed from the connector 10, the reverse of the insertion is performed. That is, from the state of FIG. 6C, the state of FIG. 6A is reached through the state of FIG. During this time, as the CF card 56 is removed, the shutter member 30 follows the CF card 56 in a state where it is in contact with the front end of the CF card 56 due to the restoring force of the coil springs 26a and 26b. Thereafter, the follow-up of the shutter member 30 is restricted by the end portions 35a and 35b protruding forward from both side portions of the shutter member 30 coming into contact with the step portions 43a and 43b of the side frames 40a and 40b. When the CF card 56 is further retracted, the engagement between the side surface of the CF card 56 and the contact portions 52a and 52b of the lock spring pieces 50a and 50b is released, and the lock spring pieces 50a and 50b are restored. The engaging portions 53a and 53b and the recesses 36a and 36b on the side surface of the shutter member 30 are engaged by the force. Thus, as the CF card 56 is removed, the shutter member 30 returns to the protection position that covers the contact 25, and the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b return to the lock position that restricts the movement of the shutter member 30.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the shutter member 30 is retracted in conjunction with the mounting operation of the CF card 56 and the contact 25 is exposed to the outside of the shutter member 30. Can be achieved. When the CF card 56 is not attached, the shutter member 30 is in a protected position that covers the contact 25, so that the contact 25 can be protected from deformation due to external force. In addition, since the locking spring pieces 50a and 50b for holding the shutter member 30 in the protected position when the CF card is not installed are provided, the shutter member 30 slides carelessly unless the CF card 56 is installed. There is no risk of doing so. As a result, every effort is made to protect the contacts 25 from external forces.

  Further, when removing the mounted CF card 56, the shutter member 30 is restored to the protected position by the restoring force of each coil spring 26a, 26b, and each locking spring piece 50a, 50b is restored to the locked position. It has come to be. Therefore, after removing the CF card 56, it is possible to reliably return the contact 25 to a state where it can be protected from external force. The shutter member 30 is pressed against the front end surface of the CF card 56 throughout the sliding movement by the action of the coil springs 26a and 26b. 25 is not exposed to the outside. This can also effectively prevent the contact 25 from being deformed by an external force.

  The connector according to the above-described embodiment is configured such that the CF card is picked up with a finger and pulled out. However, when the contact of the contact is strong, it is not easily pulled out, and it is not easy to pull out because the insertion slot of the CF card is also a narrow place. As a method for solving this problem, a connector provided with an eject mechanism will be described below.

  7 and 8 show a card connector provided with an eject mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows an eject mechanism attached to the connector, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a plan view. (C) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, (e) is a rear view, FIG. 8 shows a connector with an eject mechanism, (a) is a plan view, and (b) is a plan view. (C) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, and (e) is a rear view.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the eject mechanism 60 includes an eject plate 61, an operation lever 70 attached to one side surface of the eject plate 61 and connected to the operating lever 75, and an operation of the operation unit to remove the card from the connector. And an operating lever 75 for ejecting.

The eject plate 61 is made of a substantially rectangular metal plate so that the upper surface of the connector 10 can be covered, and both opposite ends thereof are bent, and a plurality of locking claws 63 ₁ to 63 _1- 63 ₄ and side pieces 64a, 64b are provided.

Kakukakaritometsume ₆₃ 1-63 ₄ is composed of the wide portion and the narrow portion consists slender insertion piece, wide portion width length to be inserted side frame 40a, the mounting holes _47a 1 _{~47b 2} of 40b The narrow portion has a width that is inserted into a hole formed in the substrate (not shown).

  Each side piece 64a, 64b is formed to be wide in the longitudinal direction so as to cover the side wall of each side frame 40a, 40b. One side piece 64a has an end in the narrow direction. A plurality of locking pieces 65, 65, 65 are formed that are bent or cut and raised so that the operating lever 70 is slidably fixed in the longitudinal direction of the side piece.

  The operation lever 70 is provided with coupling portions 71 and 71 at one end, and is coupled to one end 76 of the operating lever 75 by the coupling portions 71 and 71. Further, an eject button 72 is provided at the other end of the operation lever 70 so as to protrude to the outside, and the operation lever 75 is operated via the operation lever 70 by pressing the eject button 72 from the outside. It is like that.

  The actuating lever 75 is formed of a substantially arcuate plate piece, and a drooping piece 77a bent at a substantially right angle is formed at one end portion 77. The drooping piece 77a is formed from the opening 62 of the eject plate 61 to the shutter of the connector 10. The other end 76 is coupled to the coupling portions 71 and 71 of the operation lever 70 so as to engage with the recess 39 b of the member 30.

  The actuating lever 75 is pivotally supported on the eject plate 61 by a pin 80 when it slightly approaches the hanging piece 77a from the center. When the eject button 72 is pushed by this shaft support, the hanging piece 77a comes into contact with the end portion of the CF card by the lever action of the operating lever 75 via the operation lever 70, and the card can be ejected by the hanging piece 77a with a small force. It becomes like this.

The eject plate 61 equipped with the eject mechanism 60 is attached to the connector 10 in the following procedure.
The operation lever 70 and the operation lever 75 are attached to the eject plate 61. This installation is
The operation lever 70 is pivotally supported by the locking pieces 65, 65, 65 and the operation lever 75 is pivotally supported by the pin 80 on the eject plate 61.

Next, the eject plate 61 fitted with the eject mechanism 60 is mounted a plurality of locking claws ₆₃ 1-63 ₄ formed on the eject plate 61 on each side frame 40a, to 40b. Its mounting is Kakukakaritometsume ₆₃ 1-63 ₄ out, locking claws ₆₃ 1, 63 _2, the mounting holes _47a 1, 47a ₂ of the side frames 40a, also locking claws ₆₃ 3, 63 ₄ are side It is inserted into the mounting holes 47b ₁ and 47b ₂ of the part frame 40b and attached by fixing the side pieces 64a and 64b of the eject plate 61 to the side frames 40a and 40b.
By attaching the eject 61 plate in this way, the connector 10A provided with the eject mechanism 60 is completed.

  In order to install this connector 10A in an information device that provides various services, such as a photo printing vending machine, a narrow portion of a locking claw is inserted into a substrate hole in a substrate in the device, and this portion is fixed to the substrate. By doing so, the connector 10A is fixed.

Inserting the CF card into the connector 10A is the same as inserting the CF card into the connector 10. Further, when the inserted CF card is removed, when the eject button 72 is pushed in, the hanging piece 77a comes into contact with the end of the CF card by the lever action of the operating lever 75 via the operation lever 70. The hanging piece 77a is moved in the direction of the CF card insertion slot, the CF card is pushed forward, the connection between the connector body contact and the card contact is released, and a part of the CF card is inserted into the connector insertion slot. Protrude from. Pick up the protruding part by hand and remove the card.
At this time, since the connection between the contact of the connector main body and the card contact is released by the lever action of the operating lever 75, the drooping piece 77a abuts against the end of the CF card, and the drooping piece 77a with a small force The CF card can be easily pulled out.

1 shows a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, and (e) is a rear view. , A bottom view of FIG. FIG. 1 shows a connector main body of components constituting the connector of FIG. 1, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, and (e) is a front view. A rear view, (f) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of (a), 1A and 1B show shutter members of components constituting the connector of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 1A is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a left side view, FIG. 1C is a right side view, FIG. A rear view, (f) is a sectional view taken along line FF in (d), FIG. 3 shows an assembly of a connector body and a shutter member, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, (e) is a rear view, f) is a sectional view taken along line BB in (a), (g) is a sectional view taken along line CC in (a), A plan view showing a process of inserting a CF card; The eject mechanism attached to the connector for cards concerning other embodiments of the present invention is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, (E) is a rear view, FIG. 7 shows a connector provided with the ejection mechanism of FIG. 7, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a right side view, (d) is a front view, and (e) is a rear view, External view showing a photo printing vending machine equipped with a conventional card connector, It is an enlarged view of the display part of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10A Card connector 20 Connector body 21 Housing 22 Through hole 23a, 23b Protrusion 25 Contact 30 Shutter member 32 Insertion hole 33a, 33b Arm piece 34a, 34b Slide guide groove 38a, 38b Rail 40a, 40b Side frame 50a, 50b Locking spring piece 55 Space 56 CF card 60 Eject mechanism 61 Eject plate 70 Operating lever 72 Eject button 75 Actuating lever

Claims (9)

A connector body containing a plurality of contacts;
A shutter member that is movably attached to the connector body and covers the contact to protect it from the outside;
There is a lock mechanism that locks the movement of the shutter member before the card is inserted and releases the lock in conjunction with the insertion of a suitable card to allow the connection between the card contact and the contact of the connector body. A pair of side frames;
A card connector comprising:   The shutter member has an insertion hole that can accommodate the contacts one by one. Before the card is inserted, the contact is accommodated in the insertion hole, and the contact is accommodated as the card is inserted. 2. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the card connector is exposed from the insertion hole and connected to a card contact.   3. The card connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of side frames are detachably attached to both side walls of the connector main body.   The memory card connector according to claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism is provided on each of the pair of side frames.   5. The lock mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the lock mechanism is a lock spring member that is deformed when a card is mounted and the shutter member is released and returns to an engaged state with the shutter member when the card is removed. Card connector.   The card connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pair of side frames are provided with mounting means for attaching an ejection mechanism for discharging the card to both ends in the longitudinal direction.   The eject mechanism has an operating lever having one end abutted against the front end of the card, the other end coupled to an operating lever, and pivotally supported by an ejecting plate between them. The operating lever is operated by operating the operating lever. 7. The card connector according to claim 6, wherein the card is discharged by utilizing the lever action of the card.   8. The card connector according to claim 7, wherein the eject plate is made of a metal plate, covers the connector main body and the shutter member, and is attached to the pair of side frames. 8. The eject plate according to claim 7, wherein locking means are provided at four corners, and the locking means includes a fixing portion for fixing to the pair of side frames and a device mounting portion. 8. The card connector according to 8.

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