Connector for a thin electronic appliance

• US 4,891,013 A
• Filed: 03/06/1989
• Issued: 01/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Komaki, Shigeki
• Primary Examiner(s): BRADLEY, PAULA A
• Application Number:
  US07/319,295
• Time in Patent Office: 302 Days
• Field of Search: 439/66-69, 439/74, 439/91, 439/136-147, 439/367, 439/591, 439/592, 439/892, 439/893, 200/512, 200/513, 200/517, 200/533, 200/573
• US Class Current: 439/66
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/005 the record carrier comprising an arrangement to facilitate insertion into a holding device, e.g. an arrangement that makes the record carrier fit into an etui or a casing ticket holders A45C11/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/006 the housing being a portable casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/038 Level sensing or limit switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2414 conductive elastomers

Abstract

A connector for a thin electronic appliance, for example, an IC card reader for electrically connecting the thin electronic appliance with its receiving member, for example, an IC card reader/writer, which comprises a detector switch key body of insulation rubber having a connector base rigidly secured to the receiving member, a plurality of contact electrodes of electrically conductive rubber securely held by the connector base, and a push button portion having a plurality of openings through which the contact electrodes extend. The key body is further provided with a plurality of resilient leg portions extending from the connector base and a key top portion carrying the push button portion and supported by the leg portions. The connector is combined with a detector switch having a plurality of stationary contacts rigidly secured to the receiving member and a movable contact rigidly secured to the lower surface of the key top portion. When the thin electronic appliance is properly set in the receiving member, its connection terminals are electrically connected to the contact electrodes upon depression of the key top portion of the key body and upon deformation of the leg portions. In this event, the detector switch detects that the thin electronic appliance has been properly set in its receiving member. When the thin electronic appliance is not in use, the contact electrodes are hidden inside the openings of the push button portion by virtue of the resiliency of the leg portions.

Claims

1. A connector for a thin electronic appliance for electrically connecting the thin electronic appliance with its receiving member, said connector comprising:

a key body of insulation rubber having a connector base adapted to be rigidly secured to a base of said receiving member, a plurality of resilient leg portions extending from said connector base and a key top portion supported by said leg portions;

a plurality of contact electrodes of electrically conductive rubber securely held by said connector base; and

a push button portion securely mounted on said key top portion and having a plurality of openings through which said contact electrodes extend;

whereby, when said thin electronic appliance is properly set in said receiving member, connection terminals thereof are electrically connected to said contact electrodes upon depression of said key top portion of said key body and upon deformation of said leg portions, and when said thin electronic appliance is not in use, said contact electrodes are hidden inside said openings of said push button portion by virtue of resiliency of said leg portions.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein said key body is of one-piece construction.

3. The connector according to claim 2, further comprising a detector switch having a plurality of stationary contacts rigidly secured to said base of said receiving member and a movable contact rigidly secured to said key top portion, wherein said movable contact is brought into contact with said stationary contacts upon depression of said key top portion.