SIM card retaining device

• US 20060121941A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shiflett, Jamie C.
• Application Number:
  US11/003,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121941A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/003 means for pressing the connector contacts in the direction of the card contacts to assure trustworthy electrical connection between card and connector
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3816 Mechanical arrangements for accommodating identification devices, e.g. cards or chips; with connectors for programming identification devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use

Abstract

A device to retain a SIM card in an opening comprises an RF shield having one or more retaining members integrally formed with RF shield. The RF shield is disposed in spaced relation to a printed circuit board to define an opening that receives the SIM card may be inserted. When the SIM card is inserted into the opening, the one or more retaining members press on a surface of the SIM card. This forces an opposing surface of the inserted SIM card into electrical contact with a contact disposed on the printed circuit board, and retains the SIM card in the opening.

Claims

1. A communications assembly for a wireless communications device comprising:

a printed circuit board having a SIM contact disposed thereon;

an RF shield disposed in spaced relation to the printed circuit board to define an opening to receive a SIM card; and

a retaining member integral with and extending from a surface of the RF shield to retain the SIM card against the contact.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the RF shield includes a sidewall that extends to contact a surface of the printed circuit board.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the retaining member exerts a force on a surface of the SIM card to retain an opposing surface of the SIM card against the contact.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the retaining member comprises one or more depressions integrally formed with the RF shield.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the retaining member comprises one or more extending members connected to the surface of the RF shield.

6. The assembly of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of retaining members to exert a force on the surface of the SIM card to retain the opposing surface of the SIM card against the contact.

7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising an indentation integrally formed in the RF shield to permit a user to remove the SIM card from the opening.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly comprises a PCMCIA card.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly comprises a PCI Express card.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the assembly comprises a PCI MiniExpress card.

11. A RF shield for a communications assembly in a wireless communications device, the RF shield comprising:

first and second opposing surfaces;

a sidewall to dispose the second surface in spaced relation to a printed circuit board and define an opening to receive a SIM card; and

one or more retaining members integral with and extending from the second surface to retain the SIM card against a contact disposed on the printed circuit board.

12. The RF shield of claim 11 wherein the sidewall extends to contact the printed circuit board.

13. The RF shield of claim 11 wherein the one or more retaining members exert a force on a surface of the SIM card to retain an opposing surface of the SIM card against the contact.

14. The RF shield of claim 13 wherein the one or more retaining members are depressions integrally formed with the RF shield.

15. The RF shield of claim 13 wherein the one or more retaining members comprise one or more extending members connected to the second surface of the RF shield.

16. The RF shield of claim 11 further comprising an indentation integrally formed in the RF shield to permit a user to remove the SIM card from the opening.

17. A wireless communications device comprising:

communications circuitry to facilitate communications with a wireless communications network; and

a plug-in communications card including;

a printed circuit board having a SIM contact disposed thereon;

an RF shield disposed in spaced relation to the printed circuit board to define an opening to receive a SIM card; and

one or more retaining members integral with and extending from the RF shield to retain the SIM card in the opening.

18. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the RF shield includes a sidewall that extends to contact a surface of the printed circuit board.

19. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the one or more retaining members exert a force on a surface of the SIM card that retains an opposing surface of the SIM card against the SIM contact.

20. The wireless communications device of claim 19 wherein the one or more retaining members are depressions integrally formed with the RF shield.

21. The wireless communications device of claim 19 wherein the one or more retaining members comprise one or more extending members connected to the second surface of the RF shield.

22. The wireless communications device of claim 17 further comprising an indentation integrally formed with the RF shield to permit a user to extract the SIM card from the opening.

23. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the plug-in card comprises a PCMCIA card.

24. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the plug-in card comprises a PCI Express card.

25. The wireless communications device of claim 17 wherein the plug-in card comprises a PCI MiniExpress card.

26. A method of communicating with a wireless communications device having a SIM card, the method comprising:

extending one or more retaining members from a surface of an RF shield;

disposing the RF shield in spaced relation to a printed circuit board to define an opening to receive a SIM card; and

using the one or more retaining members to retain the SIM card against a contact disposed on the printed circuit board when the SIM card is inserted into the opening.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein extending one or more retaining members from a surface of an RF shield comprises integrally forming the one or more retaining members as depressions in the RF shield.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein extending one or more retaining members from a surface of an RF shield comprises connecting the retaining members to the surface of the RF shield.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein disposing the RF shield in spaced relation to a printed circuit board comprises contacting a surface of the printed circuit board with a sidewall that extends from the periphery of the RF shield.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein disposing the RF shield in spaced relation to a printed circuit board comprises disposing the one or more retaining members in spaced relation to the contact.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein using the one or more retaining members to retain the SIM card against a contact comprises pressing a surface of the SIM card with the one or more retaining members to force an opposing surface of the SIM card against the contact.

32. The assembly of claim 26 further comprising integrally forming an indentation in the RF shield to permit a user to remove the SIM card from the opening.