Integrated circuit card

• US 6,005,774 A
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chiba, Kazuo, Ozawa, Masakatsu, Imamura, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US08/929,185
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 361/737, 361/752, 361/796, 361/754-756, 361/684-686, 361/724-727, 439/144, 439/946, 439/131, 439/676
• US Class Current: 361/737
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0273 having extensions for peripherals, e.g. LAN, antennas details of antennas H01Q1/2275
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

Disclosed is an IC card having a connector wherein a socket or a jack can be inserted in a direction that is parallel to the face of the IC card. The connector includes a connector body having a rotatable housing attached thereto. The housing has an opening by which a socket or a jack can be fitted and secured to the connector body. When a socket or a jack is not connected to the IC card, the housing member can lie level along the face of the IC card but when a socket is to be connected, the housing can be raised such that it is almost perpendicular to the face of the IC card. The socket or the jack can therefore be inserted parallel to the face of the IC card.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit card comprising:

(a) a substantially flat plate IC card body;

(b) a connector body that extends from one end of said IC card body such that it is almost parallel to a flat face of said IC card body, said connector body having a central portion with a substantially flat surface, and having a rib formed on said central portion;

(c) a single rotary member formed to wholly receive a jack, said single rotary member being supported by said connector body and pivoting along an axis passing through said central portion of said connector body so as to be rotatable to (1) a first position which is parallel to said flat face of said IC card body, to (2) a second position which is perpendicular to said flat face and wherein said jack can be accepted at said second position overlying said flat surface of said central portion of said connector body and in a direction that is parallel to said flat face of said IC card body, and (3) a third position which, with said first position serving as a reference position, is at a side opposite to a side to which said single rotary member is rotated for said second position, wherein said single rotary member is positioned perpendicular to said flat face of said IC card body, said rib being positioned along said central portion of said connector body to guide and secure said jack when said jack is fully inserted in said single rotary member and in contact with said rib; and

(d) a terminal which is integral to said connector body and formed on said flat surface of said central portion thereof, proximate said rib, and can form an electric contact with a mated terminal of said jack when said jack is retained in said single rotary member.

2. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said connector body and said single rotary member are formed of an electric insulation material.

3. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said single rotary member is so formed as to have an almost inverted U shape.

4. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said connector body is a retractable connector body which can be (1) retracted to a first position wherein said connector body is disposed within said IC card body and said single rotary member is in said first position and (2) extended to a second position wherein said connector body is disposed outside of said IC card body and extends from one end of said IC card, said single rotary member being in said first or said second position when said connector body is in said second position.

5. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said connector body is so supported as to be capable of being loaded into and unloaded from said IC card body.

6. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein said jack is a modular jack for a telephone.

7. The IC card according to claim 1, wherein a recessed portion is formed in said opening of said single rotary member to engage a latch of said modular jack.

8. An integrated circuit card comprising:

(a) a flat plate IC card body;

(b) a connector body that extends from one end of said IC card body such that it is parallel to a flat face of said IC card body;

(c) a rotary member having an opening for receiving a jack, said rotary member being supported by said connector body so as to be rotatable to (1) a first position which is parallel to said flat face of said IC card body, to (2) a second position which is perpendicular to said flat face and wherein said jack can be accepted at said second position in a direction that is parallel to said flat face of said IC card body, and to (3) a third position which, with said first position serving as a reference position, is at a side opposite to a side to which said single rotary member is rotated for said second position, wherein said single rotary member is positioned perpendicular to said flat face of said IC card body; and

(d) a terminal which is integral to said connector body and can form an electric contact with a mated terminal of said jack when said jack is retained in said rotary member.