Smart card reader

• US 6,655,590 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company), Robinson Nugent, Inc. (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Teunissen, Johan, McFeely, Stephen, Van Meijl, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US10/019,895
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/441
• US Class Current: 235/451
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0021 for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0069 including means for detecting correct insertion of the card, e.g. end detection switches notifying that the card has been inserted completely and correctly

Abstract

(57) Abstract: A card reader (10, 20, 110. 120, 210) for receiving a smart card (12) having leading and trailing edges joined by sides and laterally and longitudinally spaced card contacts (14) on a contact surface is disclosed. The card reader (10, 20, 110,210, 310)includes a frame (30, 32. 130, 132, 230), a plurality of reader contacts (22), an insertion indicator switch (18, 118) and a spring element (48). The frame provides an insertion opening (50, 150, 151) having opposite sides for slidably receiving such a smart card (12). The plurality of reader contacts (22) are for engaging the card contact (14). The insertion indicator switch (18, 118) is positioned and configured on the reader (10, 20, 110, 120, 210) to establish when the card (12) is positioned such that the card contacts (14) and reader contacts (22) are engaged. The spring element (48) engages a side of such a card to urge the card against the opposite side of the opening (50, 150, 151).

Claims

1. A card reader of the type for receiving a smart card having leading and trailing edges joined by sides and laterally and longitudinally spaced card contacts on a contact surface, the card reader comprising:

a molded, one-piece frame providing an insertion opening having opposite sides for slidably receiving such a smart card,

a plurality of reader contacts for engaging the card contacts,

an insertion indicator switch being positioned and configured on the reader to establish when the card is positioned such that the card contacts and reader contacts are engaged, said insertion detection switch comprising a top switch contact and a bottom switch contact being relatively movable in the direction perpendicularly to the direction of card movement such that the leading edge of the card will move the switch contacts, and

a spring element for engaging a side of such a card to urge the card against the opposite side of the opening.

2. The reader of claim 1 in which the spring element is located at one side of the reader opening.

3. The invention of claim 1 in which the insertion indicator switch is positioned to detect the presence of the leading edge of the card.

4. The invention of claim 1 in which the reader contacts comprise two sets of contacts formed and spaced apart on contact strips, the frame having correspondingly spaced apart mounting notches for receiving the contacts while they are still connected to the strip, the strip being removable to leave separate contacts mounted on the frame.

5. The invention of claim 4, the insertion opening being defined by top sections and bottom sections, the notches being formed in the bottom sections, each reader contact having a spring portion for urging such a card against the top section.

6. The invention of claim 1 comprising a second reader stacked on the first said reader with the insertion openings being in vertical alignment.

7. The invention of claim 6 comprising a printed circuit board sandwiched between the reader frames to provide contacts.

8. The invention of claim 7 in which the PCB has a portion extending beyond the reader frames and electronic components carried by the PCB.

9. The invention of claim 1 in which the reader frame is formed with snap-mount legs to engage a hole in a PCB and hold the reader to the PCB.

10. The invention of claim 1 in which the reader frame is formed with spacer posts to hold the reader relative to a PCB.

11. The invention of claim 1 in which the upper section is formed with a mounting hole in each corner.

12. The invention of claim 1 in which the upper section is formed with a mounting peg extending upwardly from each corner to be received in a corner opening of a second reader stacked on the first said reader.

13. The invention of claim 1 in which the reader is configured to read a smart card with its card contacts facing upwardly or facing downwardly, the reader having an upper set of reader contacts and a lower set of reader contacts.

14. The invention of claim 13 in which the reader frame comprises upper and lower frame components.

15. The invention of claim 14 in which the upper frame component and lower frame component are formed substantially identically so that a lower component can be turned over to serve as an upper component, the spring element being removable from one of the frame components.

16. The invention of claim 15 in which the insertion indicator switch is on one of the upper and lower frame components.

17. The invention of claim 1 in which the switch contacts extend in the direction of movement of the card in the reader, the switch contacts being relatively movable perpendicularly to the contact surface of the card.

18. The invention of claim 17 in which one of the switch contacts is formed with a ramp portion engaged by the leading edge of the card, the ramp portion being configured to move the one switch contact in the direction of the movement of the card as well as away from the other switch contact.

19. The invention of claim 1 in which the insertion opening is configured to receive a double-thickness smart card, the opening being defined by a top and bottom sections, the reader contacts being provided on the bottom section, the upper section being provided with an element for urging the card against the reader contacts.

20. The invention of claim 19 in which the element is a spring element attached to the top section, the spring element being configured to urge a single thickness card against the reader contacts.

21. The invention of claim 6 including a PCB and a flexible foil connector strip connecting one of the card readers to the PCB.

22. The invention of claim 6 comprising a PCB and a lead frame providing connection between the upper card reader and the PCB.

23. The invention of claim 7 further comprising a second PCB above the upper reader and wherein the upper reader is configured to read a smart card with its card contacts facing upwardly or facing downwardly, the reader having an upper set of reader contacts and a lower set of reader contacts.

24. The invention of claim 1 wherein the frame is formed to include a guide ramp adjacent the insertion opening.