Memory card, and receptacle for same

• US 6,729,548 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okaue, Takumi, Sassa, Akira, Kobayashi, Toshiharu, Kondo, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared J.
• Application Number:
  US10/013,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20020084332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 235/487, 235/492, 235/441, 235/490, 235/486, 710/62, 361/737, 361/736, 439/140, 439/630, 439/59, 439/377, D13/182
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0856 the locking arrangement comprising a notch in the card and a complementary locking means in the card reading station
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 13/0893 the arrangement comprising means for cleaning the card upon insertion
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/041 Constructional details G06K19/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07739 comprising a first part capable of functioning as a record carrier on its own and a second part being only functional as a form factor changing part, e.g. SIM cards type ID 0001, removably attached to a regular smart card form factor
• 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 7/0047 for reading/sensing record carriers having edge contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0254 High voltage adaptations; Electrical insulation details; Overvoltage or electrostatic discharge protection electrostatic discharge protection for electric apparatus in general H05K9/0067, H05K9/0079; Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A memory card is disclosed which has a card body (2) having a concavity (9) formed at the forward end thereof in the inserting direction and in which terminals (5) are disposed and projections (10) are formed between the terminals (5) to prevent the terminals (5) from being touched or accessed from outside. A receptacle for the memory card is also disclosed. The memory card has a simple structure designed to positively protect the terminals and easily let out dust or the like from inside, thereby permitting to assure a positive connection with the receptacle.

Claims

1. An electric device connectable to an external apparatus, comprising:

a card body incorporating at least one controlling integrated circuit,

said card body having a top, a forward end and a lateral side,

said top of the card body having a concavity open at the forward end;

a connector portion for communicating with said external apparatus, said connector portion having a plurality of terminals disposed side by side in the concavity in an inserting direction of the card body, said plurality of terminals having a signal input/output terminal for digital signal input or digital signal output for serial communication with said external apparatus and a reserved terminal for signal input or signal output, said reserved terminal being used only for parallel digital communication with said external apparatus, such that said signal input/output terminal is used without said reserved terminal for serial communication and said reserved terminal is used with said signal input/output terminal for signal input or signal output when in parallel communication with said external apparatus; and

insulating projections formed between adjacent terminals disposed in the concavity.

2. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body and said projections are formed of the same material.

3. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body has a cut provided only at a corner of said forward end of said card body for preventing said electric device from being incorrectly inserted into a receptacle therefor, said cut being formed obliquely to said inserting direction of the card body such that a corner otherwise disposed at said forward end and said lateral side is removed.

4. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body has a cut provided at a corner of said forward end of said card body, said cut being formed obliquely to said inserting direction of the card body, and said top of the card body having a notch therein disposed in the vicinity of the intersection of said top, said forward end and said lateral side, such that a corner otherwise disposed at said forward end and said lateral side is removed, and said notch ends at said cut.

5. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body has a cut that extends over said forward end of the card body, said cut being formed obliquely to said inserting direction of the card body to form an angle in the leading edge formed by said top and forward end of said card body, said angle extending over said projections.

6. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body has a depression formed in said lateral side and in said top of said card body and extending downward from the top of said card body, the depth of said depression being approximately half the thickness of said card body, for preventing disengagement of the card body from a receptacle therefor.

7. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said card body has formed on a lateral side thereof recesses for fitting in a receptacle therefor.

8. The electric device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of terminals include a sync signal input terminal, a status signal input terminal and a voltage supply terminal.

9. The electric device of claim wherein a central terminal is a ground terminal.

10. A system having an electric device and a receptacle to receive said electric device;

said electric device comprising;

a card body incorporating at least one controlling integrated circuit,

said card body having a top, and a forward end,

said top of the card body having a concavity open at the forward end;

a connector portion for communicating with said external apparatus by way of said receptacle, said connector portion having a plurality of terminals disposed side by side in the concavity in an inserting direction of the card body, said plurality of terminals having a signal input/output terminal for digital signal input or digital signal output for serial communication with said external apparatus and a reserved terminal for signal input or signal output, said reserved terminal being used only for parallel digital communication with said external apparatus, such that said signal input/output terminal is used without said reserved terminal for serial communication and said reserved terminal is used with said signal input/output terminal for signal input or signal output when in parallel communication with said external apparatus; and

insulating projections formed between adjacent terminals disposed in the concavity; and

said receptacle comprising;

a body having a receiving concavity open at an end of the body and in which said electric device is introduce and

a plurality of terminals to be connected to said terminals of said electric device, respectively.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said card body has a cut provided at a corner of said forward end of said card body, said cut being formed obliquely to said inserting direction of the card body, and said top of the card body having a notch therein disposed in the vicinity of the intersection of said top, said forward end and a lateral side, such that a corner otherwise disposed at said forward end and said lateral side is removed, and said notch ends at said cut.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said card body has a cut that extends over said forward end of the card body, said cut being formed obliquely to said inserting direction of the card body to form an angle in the leading edge formed by said top and forward end of said card body, said angle extending over said projections.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said card body has a depression formed in a lateral side and in said top of said card body and extending downward from the top of said card body, the depth of said depression being approximately half the thickness of said card body, for preventing disengagement of the card body from a receptacle therefor.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said card body has recesses formed on a lateral side thereof for fitting in said receptacle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of terminals of said electric device include a sync signal input terminal, a status signal input terminal and a voltage supply terminal.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein a central terminal of said electric device is a ground terminal.