Electronic device with dual card reader employing a drawer

• US 6,062,887 A
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schuster, David C., Stinauer, Robert J. II, Laursen, Tobin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US09/144,157
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 439/218, 439/630
• US Class Current: 439/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0034 the connector being capable of simultaneously receiving a plurality of cards in the same insertion slot
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0052 connectors capable of contacting cards of different formats, e.g. memory stick and SD card readers sharing at least one connector contact and the associated signal line, e.g. both using the same signal line for input or output of data
• 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: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device

Abstract

To accommodate two different electronic cards, such as a subscriber identity card and a flash memory card, in an electronic device (100), such as a cellular telephone, a dual card reader (214) is employed. The dual card reader (214) has a reader housing (222) and two sets of contacts (410 and 412) carried on the reader housing (222). The dual card reader (214) further has a drawer (224) adapted for receipt by the reader housing (222). The drawer (224) is further adapted to receive a first electronic card (300) having a first size and a second electronic card (302) having a second size different from the first size.

Claims

1. A dual card reader comprising:

a reader housing;

a first set of contacts carried on the reader housing;

a second set of contacts carried on the reader housing; and

a drawer for receipt by the reader housing, the drawer adapted to receive a first electronic card having a first size and a second electronic card having a second size different from the first size.

2. A dual card reader according to claim 1 further comprising:

a track assembly for slidably engaging the drawer and the reader housing, the track assembly comprising;

at least one track disposed in one of the reader housing and the drawer; and

at least one guide carried on the other one of the reader housing and the drawer, the at least one guide adapted to be slidably received in the at least one track.

3. A dual card reader according to claim 2

wherein

the reader housing has a base,

the first set of contacts is carried on the base of the reader housing,

the second set of contacts is carried on the base of the reader housing,

the drawer has a first side;

and

further comprising;

a first well formed in the first side of the drawer to receive the first electronic card; and

a second well formed in the first side of the drawer to receive the second electronic card, and

whereby, upon engagement of the drawer and the reader housing, the first well is aligned with the first set of contacts and the second well is aligned with the second set of contacts.

4. A dual card reader according to claim 3 wherein the second well overlaps at least a portion of the first well.

5. A dual card reader according to claim 2

wherein

the reader housing has first and second sides and first and second surfaces extending between the first and second sides, the first surface spaced apart from the second surface by a pocket,

the first set of contacts is carried on the first surface of the reader housing,

the second set of contacts is carried on the second surface of the reader housing facing the pocket,

the drawer has first and second sides separated by a thickness greater than a sum of thicknesses of the first and second electronic cards;

and

further comprising;

a first well formed in the first side of the drawer to receive the first electronic card; and

a second well formed in the second side of the drawer to receive the second electronic card, and

whereby, upon engagement of the drawer and the reader housing, the first well is aligned with the first set of contacts and the second well is aligned with the second set of contacts.

6. A dual card reader according to claim 5 further comprising:

a first opening extending through the drawer, the first opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned outside of the second well on the second side of the drawer, the first opening, when both the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the first electronic card; and

a second opening extending through the drawer, the second opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned in the second well on the second side of the drawer, the second opening, when one of the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the one of the first and second electronic cards.

7. A dual card reader according to claim 2 wherein

the at least one track comprises an angled segment, the angled segment being non-perpendicular to the first and second ends of the one of the reader housing and drawer, and

the at least one guide comprises a cylindrical prong, the cylindrical prong having a diameter less than a height of the at least one track to promote insertion therein.

8. A dual card reader according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one well formed in the drawer to receive one of the first and second electronic cards; and

a spring finger assembly defining at least a portion of a side wall of the at least one well, the spring finger assembly, in an undeflected position, extending from the side wall to reduce a dimension of the at least one well to less than a corresponding dimension of the one of the first and second electronic cards.

9. A dual card reader comprising:

a reader housing having first and second ends, first and second sides, and a first surface;

a first set of openings formed in the first surface;

a first set of contacts carried on the reader housing, at least a portion of each one of the first set of contacts is positioned in a corresponding one of the first set of openings;

a second set of contacts carried on the reader housing;

a drawer having first and second ends and first, second, third and fourth sides,

a first well formed in the first side of the drawer to receive a first electronic card;

a second well formed in the drawer to receive a second electronic card, the second well and the first well differing in volume, at least a portion of the second well overlying at least a portion of the first well; and

a track assembly for slidably engaging the drawer and the reader housing, the track assembly having first and second tracks and first and second guides, the first and second tracks formed in one of corresponding ones of the first and second sides of the reader housing and corresponding ones of the third and fourth sides of the drawer, the first and second guides carried on the other one of the corresponding ones of the first and second sides of the reader housing and the corresponding ones of the third and fourth sides of the drawer, the first and second guides adapted to be received in corresponding ones of the first and second tracks.

10. A dual card reader according to claim 9

further comprising a second set of openings formed in the first surface of the reader housing;

and

wherein

at least a portion of each one of the second set of contacts is positioned in a corresponding one of the second set of openings,

at least a portion of the first well has a depth substantially equal to a sum of thicknesses of the first and second electronic cards, and

the second well is formed in the first side of the drawer, the second well having a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the second electronic card, the second well positioned to coextend with the first well at the at least a portion of the first well, and

whereby, upon engagement of the drawer and the reader housing, the first well is aligned with the first set of contacts and the second well is aligned with the second set of contacts.

11. A dual card reader according to claim 10 wherein

the first well is defined by first and second longitudinally extending side walls spaced apart by a first distance, and

the second well is defined by first and second transversely extending end walls spaced apart by a second distance, the second distance greater than the first distance.

12. A dual card reader according to claim 9

wherein

the reader housing further has a second surface extending between the first and second sides opposite the first surface and at the second end,

the second well is formed on the second side of the drawer,

further comprising a second set of openings formed in the second surface of the reader housing, at least a portion of each one of the second set of contacts is positioned in a corresponding one of the second set of openings, and

whereby, upon engagement of the drawer and the reader housing, the first well is aligned with the first set of contacts and the second well is aligned with the second set of contacts.

13. A dual card reader according to claim 12 further comprising:

a first opening extending through the drawer, the first opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned outside of the second well on the second side of the drawer, the first opening, when both the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the first electronic card; and

a second opening extending through the drawer, the second opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned in the second well on the second side of the drawer, the second opening, when one of the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the one of the first and second electronic cards.

14. A dual card reader according to claim 9 wherein

the first and second tracks are formed in corresponding ones of the first and second sides of the reader housing, each one of the first and second tracks comprise:

a first segment extending perpendicularly from an opening at the first end of the reader housing,

a second segment extending from the first segment at an angle of approximately 145 degrees with respect to the first segment, and

a third segment extending from the second segment parallel to the first segment, and

the first and second guides are carried on the corresponding ones of the third and fourth sides of the drawer, each one of the first and second guides comprise;

a first cylindrical prong positioned on an upper half of each of the third and fourth sides of the drawer proximate to the first end of the drawer, and

a second cylindrical prong positioned on a lower half of each of the third and fourth sides of the drawer proximate to the second end of the drawer.

15. A dual card reader according to claim 9 wherein

the first electronic card is a flash memory card, and

the second electronic card is a subscriber identity card.

16. An electronic device comprising:

a device housing having a slot formed therein;

a circuit board positioned in the device housing;

a microprocessor carried on the circuit board;

a plurality of pads carried on the circuit board and electrically connected to the microprocessor;

a dual card reader housing positioned on the circuit board in proximity to the slot;

a first set of contacts carried on the dual card reader housing and electrically connected to the plurality of pads;

a second set of contacts carried on the dual card reader housing and electrically connected to the plurality of pads; and

a drawer slidably engaged to the dual card reader housing, the drawer having a first well to receive a first electronic card having a third set of contacts and a second well to receive a second electronic card having a fourth set of contacts, the drawer, in an engaged position, aligning the first well with the first set of contacts and aligning the second well with the second set of contacts thereby mating the first and third set of contacts when the first electronic card is received in the first well to enable access by the microprocessor to the first electronic card and mating the second and fourth set of contacts when the second electronic card is received in the second well to enable access by the microprocessor to the second electronic card.

17. An electronic device according to claim 16 wherein

the dual card reader housing has a base aligned with the slot,

the first and second set of contacts are carried on the base of the dual card reader housing,

the drawer has a first side, and

the first and second wells formed in the first side of the drawer, the second well overlapping at least a portion of the first well.

18. An electronic device according to claim 16

wherein

the dual card reader housing has first and second sides and first and second surfaces extending between the first and second sides, the first surface spaced apart from the second surface by a first distance,

the first set of contacts is carried on the first surface of the dual card reader housing,

the second set of contacts is carried on the second surface of the dual card reader housing,

the drawer has first and second sides separated by a first thickness greater than a sum of thicknesses of the first and second electronic cards, the first thickness less than the first distance,

the first well formed in the first side of the drawer,

the second well formed in the second side of the drawer;

and

further comprising;

a first opening extending through the drawer, the first opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned outside of the second well on the second side of the drawer, the first opening, when both the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the first electronic card; and

a second opening extending through the drawer, the second opening positioned in the first well on the first side of the drawer and positioned in the second well on the second side of the drawer, the second opening, when one of the first and second electronic cards are received, to permit ejection of the one of the first and second electronic cards.

19. An electronic device according to claim 16

further comprising a battery pack;

and

wherein

the device housing comprises a recessed site for detachably receiving the battery pack,

the slot is located in the recessed site, and

a width of the recessed site at the slot is greater than a length of the drawer to permit complete disengagement of the drawer from the dual card reader housing and, thereby, remove the drawer from the device housing.

20. An electronic device according to claim 16 wherein

the first electronic card is a flash memory card, and

the second electronic card is a subscriber identity card.