Chip card reader

• US 20030141365A1
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCM Microsystems GmbH (Identive Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SCM Microsystems GmbH (Identive Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sowa, Jochem, Neifer, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 7,051,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier

Abstract

A chip card reader comprises a housing according to a PCMCIA format. The housing includes a base plate (12) and a cover plate (14) extending between a plug-in socket (32) and an insertion slot for a chip card (38). The base plate (12) and the cover plate (14) are each made of a plastic part (20) and a metallic part and are assembled by interconnecting the metallic parts of both plates (12, 14).

Claims

1. A chip card reader comprising a housing according to a PCMCIA format, the housing including a base plate (12) and a cover plate (14) extending between a plug-in socket (32) and an insertion slot for a chip card (38), characterized in that the base plate (12) and the cover plate (14) are each made of a plastic part (20) and a metallic part and are assembled by interconnecting the metallic parts of both plates (12, 14).

2. The chip card reader according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the base and cover plates (12, 14) is produced by a molding process in which the metallic part is inserted into a casting mold and molded around with plastic.

3. The chip card reader according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the metallic parts of the base and cover plates (12, 14) are exposed along lateral edges of both plates (12, 14).

4. The chip card reader according to claim 3, characterized in that the metallic part of at least one of the base and cover plates (12, 14) has at least one bent side strip (30) directly welded to the opposing exposed lateral edge (22) of the other plate (14).

5. The chip card reader according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic parts of the base and cover plates (12, 14) have exposed end pieces (24) covering the plug-in socket (32).

6. The chip card reader according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a printed circuit board (16) with a grounding clip (34) is arranged between the base plate (12) and the cover plate (14), the grounding clip (34) being in contact with one of the metal parts of the base and cover plates (12, 14) in the assembled state of the chip card reader (10).

7. The chip card reader according to claim 6, characterized in that the grounding clip (34) contacts an interior metal surface portion (26) of one of the base and cover plates (12, 14).

8. The chip card reader according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a printed circuit board (16) with a chip card contacting unit (36) and an intermediate plate (18) are arranged between the base plate (12) and the cover plate (14).

9. The chip card reader according to claim 8, characterized in that the intermediate plate (18) and the printed circuit board (16) are of similar size and shape.

10. The chip card reader according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the intermediate plate (18) is made of plastic.

11. The chip card reader according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the intermediate plate (18) covers the side of the printed circuit board (16) from which contacting elements of the chip card contacting unit (36) protrude.

12. The chip card reader according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that an accomodation channel for a chip card (38) is formed between the intermediate plate (18) and the base plate (12) or the cover plate (14).

13. The chip card reader according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the intermediate plate (18) has a cut-out portion (40) through which the contacting elements of the chip card contacting unit (36) protrude.

14. The chip card reader according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the cover and base plates (12) has an internal card guiding structure comprising a pair of parallel guide bars (42, 44) extending along opposite longitudinal edges of the plate (12) and having exposed guiding surfaces (46, 48) defining a common plane, the insertion slot having a narrow portion and a widened portion, the widened portion being defined by a stepped interior surface area of the plate (12), and one of the guide bars (44) having an end with a ramp face (50) extending between the stepped surface area and the exposed guiding surface (48).

15. The chip card reader according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is provided with a physical coding matching with a corresponding physical coding of a printed circuit board (16).

16. The chip card reader according to claim 15, characterized in that the housing is provided with a projection (52) or a recess matching with a corresponding recess (54) or projection, respectively, of the printed circuit board (16).

17. The chip card reader according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that a matching pair of codings is associated to a particular operating voltage of the chip card reader (10).