Memory card, and receptacle for same

• US 20020074415A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akira Sassa, Takumi Okaue, Toshiharu Kobayashi, Yoshio Kondo
• Original Assignee: Akira Sassa, Takumi Okaue, Toshiharu Kobayashi, Yoshio Kondo
• Inventors: Okaue, Takumi, Sassa, Akira, Kobayashi, Toshiharu, Kondo, Yoshio
• Granted Patent: US 6,783,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. A memory card, comprising:

a card body incorporating memory chips;

a concavity open at the top and forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body; and

a plurality of terminals disposed side by side in the concavity in the inserting direction of the card body; and

a projection being formed in at least a part of a space defined between two successive terminals disposed in the concavity to protect the terminals against touch from outside;

the inner wall of the concavity perpendicular to the inserting direction of the card body being inclined.

2. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein the projections are formed between two successive ones of all the terminals.

3. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

4. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein the card body is shaped flat and generally rectangular in the inserting direction thereof and the length of the short side thereof is less than a half of that of the long side.

5. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cut for preventing disengagement of the card body is formed on one of the lateral sides parallel to the inserting direction of the card body.

6. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cut for preventing disengagement of the card body is formed at one lateral corner of the forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body.

7. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cut for preventing incorrect insertion of the card body is formed at the forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body, the cut being made in the direction of the card body thickness.

8. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the corners of the front end, in the inserting direction, of the card body and both corners of the rear end, in the inserting direction, of the card body are much more chamfered than the other corner at the forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body.

9. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein the card body has formed on the lateral side thereof recesses for fitting.

26. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, provided therein nine terminals for connection to an external system.

28. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, provided therein ten terminals for connection to outside.

30. The memory card as set forth in claim 4, wherein the short side thereof is 21.5 mm long while the long side is 50 mm long.

32. The memory card as set forth in claim 1, wherein the card body is shaped flat and rectangular in the inserting direction, the short side thereof is 21.5 mm long, the long side is 50 mm long and the thickness is 2.8 mm.

10. A memory card comprising:

a card body incorporating memory chips;

a concavity open at the top and extending longitudinally of the card from the forward end of the card body; and

a plurality of terminals disposed side by side in the concavity in the inserting direction of the card body; and

a shutter member movable to open and close the concavity; and

the inner wall of the concavity perpendicular to the inserting direction of the memory card being inclined.

11. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

12. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein the card body is shaped flat and generally rectangular in the inserting direction thereof and the length of the short side thereof is less than a half of that of the long side.

13. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein a cut for preventing disengagement of the card body is formed on one of the lateral sides parallel to the inserting direction of the card body.

14. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein a cut for preventing disengagement of the card body is formed at one lateral end of the forward end face, in the inserting direction, of the card body.

15. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein a cut for preventing incorrect insertion of the card body is formed at the forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body, the cut being made in the direction of the card body thickness.

16. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein one of the corners of the front end, in the inserting direction, of the card body and both corners of the rear end, in the inserting direction, of the card body are much more chamfered than the other corner at the forward end, in the inserting direction, of the card body.

17. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein the card body has formed on the lateral side thereof recesses for fitting.

19. The receptacle as set forth in claim 18, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

27. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, provided therein nine terminals for connection to outside.

29. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, provided therein nine terminals for connection to outside.

31. The memory card as set forth in claim 12, wherein the short side thereof is 21.5 mm long while the long side is 50 mm long.

33. The memory card as set forth in claim 10, wherein the card body is shaped flat and rectangular in the inserting direction, the short side thereof is 21.5 mm long, the long side is 50 mm long and the thickness is 2.8 mm.

18. A memory card receptacle comprising:

a receiving concavity open at the front end of the receptacle and in which a memory card introduced from the opening is set;

a plurality of terminals having tips disposed inside the receiving concavity and which are to be connected to terminals of the memory card; and

a plurality of projections provided ahead of the plurality of terminals and which slide on the terminals of the memory card when the latter is inserted into the receptacle;

the sliding projections corresponding in number to the memory card terminals.

20. A memory card receptacle comprising:

a receiving concavity in which a memory card introduced from an opening formed at the front end of the receptacle is set; and

an incorrect insertion-preventive member provided deep in the opening in the inserting direction of the memory card;

the incorrect insertion-preventive member having a front face generally perpendicular to the inserting direction of the memory card and a projection formed on one lateral end of the front face;

the projection having an oblique face formed gradually reduced in thickness and width as it goes from the front face of the incorrect insertion-preventive member toward the opening;

the incorrect insertion-preventive member being pivoted and depressed under the action of a coil spring downward from the inserting direction of the memory card in the receiving concavity.

21. The receptacle as set forth in claim 20, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

22. A memory card comprising:

a receiving concavity in which a memory card introduced from an opening formed at the front end of the concavity is set; and

an incorrect insertion-preventive member provided deep in the opening in the inserting direction of the memory card;

the incorrect insertion-preventive member comprising a blocking plate having a first face generally perpendicular to the inserting direction of the memory card and a projection formed at the top end of the blocking plate and on the opening side and which has a second face generally-parallel to the inserting direction of the memory card; and

the incorrect insertion-preventive member being pivoted to depress the projection under the action of a coil spring toward the opening.

23. The receptacle as set forth in claim 22, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

25. The receptacle as set forth in claim 24, wherein a serial interface is adopted.

24. A memory card receptacle comprising:

a receiving concavity in which a memory card introduced from an opening formed on the top of the concavity is set; and

projections formed on the lateral walls of the receiving concavity for engagement into recesses formed in the lateral sides of the memory card.