Memory card

• US 20030198028A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masayoshi Yano, Noriaki Furuta, Seiji Nakanishi, Takahiro Sakamoto, Takashi Torii
• Original Assignee: Masayoshi Yano, Noriaki Furuta, Seiji Nakanishi, Takahiro Sakamoto, Takashi Torii
• Inventors: Torii, Takashi, Yano, Masayoshi, Sakamoto, Takahiro, Furuta, Noriaki, Nakanishi, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• 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 19/07743 External electrical contacts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/945 Adapter for pcb or cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/946 Memory card cartridge

Abstract

A memory card includes: a main body of the memory card in which a notched section is formed; a semiconductor memory; and a write/nonwrite setting element for setting the write/nonwrite state of data in the semiconductor memory, the write/nonwrite setting element being slidably fitted in the notched section, wherein the main body of the memory card includes an upper main body and a lower main body; at least one of the upper main body and the lower main body has an elastic guide formed within the notched section; the write/nonwrite setting element slides along the elastic guide so as to set the write/nonwrite state of the data in the semiconductor memory; and the elastic guide has an engagement portion for engagedly stopping the write/nonwrite setting element so as to select the position of the write/nonwrite setting element with respect to the elastic guide.

Claims

1. A memory card, comprising:

a main body of the memory card in which a notched section is formed;

a semiconductor memory in which data can be at least written;

a terminal provided in the main body of the memory card for electrically connecting the semiconductor memory to an external device; and

a write/nonwrite setting element for setting the write/nonwrite state of the data in the semiconductor memory, the write/nonwrite setting element being slidably fitted in the notched section,

wherein the main body of the memory card includes an upper main body and a lower main body;

at least one of the upper main body and the lower main body has an elastic guide formed within the notched section;

the write/nonwrite setting element is slidably fitted in the elastic guide and is sandwiched between the upper main body and the lower main body;

the write/nonwrite setting element is positioned such that a portion of the write/nonwrite setting element covers a portion of the notched section;

the write/nonwrite setting element slides along the elastic guide so as to set the write/nonwrite state of the data in the semiconductor memory; and

the elastic guide has an engagement portion for engagedly stopping the write/nonwrite setting element so as to select the position of the write/nonwrite setting element with respect to the elastic guide.

2. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein:

the engagement portion includes a protrusion which is formed so as to engagedly stop the write/nonwrite setting element; and

the write/nonwrite setting element rides over the protrusion so as to be engagedly stopped at one of the opposite ends of the elastic guide, thereby selecting a position of the notched section which is covered with the write/nonwrite setting element.

3. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein:

the engagement portion includes a first engagement portion which is formed by a protrusion or a cavity;

the write/nonwrite setting element includes a second engagement portion which is formed by a cavity or a protrusion; and

the second engagement portion is engagedly stopped by the first engagement portion, whereby the write/nonwrite setting element selects a position of the notched section which is covered with the write/nonwrite setting element.

4. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the upper main body and the lower main body has a slit which is formed in the elastic guide; and

the write/nonwrite setting element fits in the slit.

5. A memory card according to claim 4, wherein the write/nonwrite setting element includes:

a manipulation portion which covers the notched section so as to achieve setting of the write/nonwrite state and which is used as a manually-operated shift knob;

an anti-disengagement portion which is fitted in the slit; and

a slide contact portion which connects the manipulation portion with the anti-disengagement portion and which slidably contacts the elastic guide.

6. A memory card according to claim 4, wherein:

the other of the upper main body and the lower main body has a reentrant groove at a position such as to face the slit; and

the write/nonwrite setting element fits in the slit and the reentrant groove.

7. A memory card according to claim 4, wherein one of the upper main body and the lower main body has a labeling region on which a label is attached so as to cover the slit.

8. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper main body and the lower main body has a reentrant groove which is formed so as to fit with the write/nonwrite setting element.

9. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper main body and the lower main body has a reentrant groove which is formed so as to fit with the write/nonwrite setting element.

10. A memory card according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for electrically switching the write/nonwrite state of the data, the switch being provided inside the main body of the memory card, wherein:

the switch has an activation portion which is provided so as to extend from the switch toward the write/nonwrite setting element; and

the activation portion electrically switches the write/nonwrite state of the data in response to a sliding movement of the write/nonwrite setting element.

11. A memory card according to claim 1, further comprising a contact point for electrically switching the write/nonwrite state of the data, the contact point being provided inside the main body of the memory card, wherein

the write/nonwrite setting element has a contact piece provided at a position corresponding to the contact point.

12. A memory card according to claim 11, further comprising a print substrate on which the semiconductor memory is mounted, wherein

the contact point is formed on the print substrate.

13. A memory card according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the elastic guide is formed such that the elastic force of the elastic guide is affected in a direction from the contact piece to the contact point.

14. A memory card according to claim 1, wherein:

the upper main body and the lower main body form a slide hole within the notched section;

the elastic guide includes a groove formed within the slide hole in at least one of the upper main body and the lower main body;

the write/nonwrite setting element has a fitting portion which is inserted into the slide hole and is fitted in the groove;

the fitting portion includes a maximum width section which has a width greater than a width of the slide hole such that the fitting portion can be inserted into the slide hole by means of elastic deformation of the upper main body and the lower main body; and

the engagement portion is formed in the groove.

15. A memory card according to claim 14, wherein:

a tip section of the fitting portion has a width smaller than that of the slide hole;

the fitting portion has an inclined face extending from the tip section to the maximum width section; and

the write/nonwrite setting element is inserted in the slide hole while the inclined face expands the slide hole until the fitting portion is fitted into the groove, whereby the write/nonwrite setting element is attached to the main body of the memory card.