Memory card adapter

• US 7,601,031 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yutaka, Tanaka, Hirohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US11/660,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20080171473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 439/630, 439/638, 439/626, 439/660, 439/945, 235/492, 711/115, 710/62, 343/833, 343/702
• US Class Current: 439/626
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07741 comprising a first part operating as a regular record carrier and a second attachable part that changes the functional appearance of said record carrier, e.g. a contact-based smart card with an adapter part which, when attached to the contact card makes the contact card function as a non-contact card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7031 Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas

Abstract

A compact memory card adapter, which improves connection reliability with an antenna circuit and ensures communication distance when a memory card with a non-contact communication function is inserted therein. The adapter is formed with a base made of an electrical insulating material, a plurality of contacts arranged on an inner surface of the base so as to electrically contact an I/O connecting terminal and an antenna connecting terminal of the memory card inserted in the adapter, and an antenna circuit formed on an outer surface of the base. The contact connectable to the antenna connecting terminal of the memory card has a spring piece at its one end, which elastically contacts the antenna connecting terminal of the memory card, and the other end inserted into a through hole formed in the base to make an electrical connection with the antenna circuit.

Claims

1. A memory card adaptor connectable to a memory card socket of an electronic appliance, and having a loading port at its one end, through which a memory card can be accommodated therein, wherein the memory card adapter comprises:

a base made of an electrical insulating material;

a plurality of contacts arranged on an inner surface of said base so as to electrically contact an I/O connecting terminal and an antenna connecting terminal of said memory card inserted in the adapter;

an antenna circuit formed on an outer surface of said base; and

a conductive member configured to make an electrical connection between said contact connectable to said antenna connecting terminal of said memory card and said antenna circuit via a through hole formed in said base.

2. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contact connectable to said antenna connecting terminal has a spring piece at its one end, which elastically contacts said antenna connecting terminal of said memory card, and the other end inserted as said conductive member into said through hole to make the electrical connection with said antenna circuit.

3. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said antenna circuit has a loop-like antenna pattern formed along an outer circumference of said base.

4. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic material disposed between said antenna circuit and the outer surface of said base.

5. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an electrical insulating layer formed on a surface of said antenna circuit.

6. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said antenna circuit has an electronic part for regulating a high-frequency property.

7. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 6, wherein said base has a concave, in which said electronic part is mounted.

8. The memory card adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base having said antenna circuit is a molded interconnect device, which is obtained by integrally molding a desired circuit pattern with a resin material for said base.