Memory card adapter

• US 6,402,558 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RITEK Corporation
• Original Assignee: RITEK Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Yu-Chuan, Hung-Ju, Shen
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US09/804,957
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/138, 439/945, 439/76.1, 361/737
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0043 the plurality of cards being cards of different formats, e.g. SD card and memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/945 Adapter for pcb or cartridge

Abstract

An integrative memory card adapter capable of accommodating a compact flash card, a multi-media card, a digital card and a smart media card. By positioning contact pins and entrance slots in various locations on the memory card adapter according to the specifications and input/output contact positions of various memory cards, all four types of memory card are accommodated. The memory cards can be accommodated because the input/output contact points of each memory card are in contact with corresponding contact pins inside the slots. The contact pins are in turn wired to a printed circuit board with external connection.

Claims

1. A memory card adapter, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a contact pin header on the printed circuit board, wherein the contact pin header connects electrically with the printed circuit board and has a plurality of first contact pins; and

a frame having a card insertion terminal and an external connection terminal, wherein the frame comprises an upper frame and a lower frame that enclose the printed circuit board and the contact pin header, wherein an interior of the upper frame contains a plurality of second contact pins laid on the upper frame and electrically connected with the printed circuit board, and an interior of the lower frame contains a plurality of third contact pins laid on the lower frame and electrically connected with the printed circuit board, so that a memory card inserted in the memory card adapter through the card insertion terminal connects either the first, second, or third contact pins.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the card insertion terminal further includes:

a first card insertion slot, wherein the first card insertion slot accommodates a multi-media card or a digital card;

a second card insertion slot, wherein the second card insertion slot accommodates a smart media card; and

a movable door, wherein the movable door is located on one side of the second card insertion slot, the movable door and the second card insertion slot together constitute a third card insertion slot, and the third card insertion slot accommodates a compact flash card.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the external connection terminal and the printed circuit board are electrically connected together, and memory cards inserted into slots of the adapter are electrically connected to an external device via the first contact pins, the second contact pins, the third contact pins and the printed circuit board.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first contact pins are electrically connected to the printed circuit board via the contact pin header.

5. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on the compact flash card.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the second contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on the smart media card.

7. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the third contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on either the multi-media card or the digital card.

8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the contact pins of the upper frame and the lower frame are electrically connected together via a connection device.

9. A memory card adapter, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a contact pin header on the printed circuit board, wherein the contact pin header connects electrically with the printed circuit board and has a plurality of first contact pins; and

a frame having a card insertion terminal and an external connection terminal, wherein the frame encloses the printed circuit board and the contact pin header, and an interior of the frame has a plurality of second contact pins and a plurality of third contact pins, wherein the second contact pins and the third contact pins are respectively laid on spaced-apart locations of the frame and electrically connected with the printed circuit board, so that a memory card inserted in the memory card adapter through the card insertion terminal electrically connects either the first, second, or third contact pins.

10. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the card insertion terminal further includes:

a first card insertion slot, wherein the first card insertion slot accommodates a multi-media card or a digital card;

a second card insertion slot, wherein the second card insertion slot accommodates a smart media card; and

a movable door located on one side of the second card insertion slot, wherein the movable door and the second card insertion slot together constitute a third card insertion slot that accommodates a compact flash card.

11. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the external connection terminal and the printed circuit board are electrically connected together and memory cards inserted into the first and second card insertion slots of the adapter are electrically connected to an external device via the first contact pins, the second contact pins, the third contact pins and the printed circuit board.

12. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the first contact pins are electrically connected to the printed circuit board via the contact pin header.

13. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the first contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on the compact flash card.

14. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the second contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on the smart media card.

15. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the third contact pins correspond in position to input/output contact points on either the multi-media card or the digital card.

16. A memory card adapter, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a contact pin header arranged on the printed circuit board, wherein the contact pin header connects electrically with the printed circuit board and has a plurality of first contact pins to connect a first memory card; and

a frame structure including an upper frame, a lower frame, and a movable door that enclose the printed circuit board and the contact pin header, wherein the upper and lower frames and the movable door form a card insertion terminal, wherein an interior of the upper frame contains a plurality of second contact pins laid on the upper frame and electrically connected with the printed circuit board, and an interior of the lower frame contains a plurality of third contact pins laid on the lower frame and electrically connected with the printed circuit board, so that various types of memory cards can be inserted in different manners through the card insertion terminal to connect either the first, second, or third contact pins.

17. The adapter of claim 16, wherein a memory card is inserted through the card insertion terminal by pushing on the movable door.

18. The adapter of claim 16, wherein a memory card is inserted through the card insertion terminal by having contact elements of the memory card facing up and electrically contacting the second contact pins.

19. The adapter of claim 16, wherein a memory card is inserted through the card insertion terminal with a plurality of contact elements of the memory card down facing and electrically contacting the third contact pins.

20. The adapter of claim 16, wherein a memory card is inserted through the card insertion terminal by pushing on the movable door, and a plurality of contact elements of the memory card electrically contact the first contact pins.