JP7222540B2 - card connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to card connectors. In particular, the present invention relates to the structure of a card connector capable of sharing two types of cards having different external dimensions or thicknesses and arrangement of connection terminals.

In recent years, electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal computers, televisions, video cameras, and digital cameras are equipped with card connectors for connecting IC cards incorporating IC parts such as CPUs or memory elements.

Memory cards, which are a type of IC card, have been developed in a plurality of types with different external dimensions, thickness, and arrangement of connection terminals. On the other hand, from the side of consumers of electronic equipment, it is demanded that the electronic equipment be equipped with a card connector capable of sharing a plurality of different types of cards. In order to meet the needs of consumers of such electronic devices, a card connector has been developed that can be shared by a plurality of types of cards having different external dimensions or thicknesses and arrangement of connection terminals (for example, Patent Document 1). reference).

JP 2011-14405 A

11A and 11B are perspective views showing the structure of a conventional card connector, FIG. 11A is a view with the cover attached, and FIG. 11B is a view with the cover removed. 12A and 12B are longitudinal sectional views showing the configuration of a card connector according to the prior art, FIG. 12A is a diagram showing a state in which a card with a large external shape is installed inside, and FIG. is installed inside.

11A and 11B of the present application correspond to FIGS. 1 and 2 of Patent Document 1. FIG. 12A and 12B of the present application correspond to FIGS. 9 and 12 of Patent Document 1. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 11 or 12, a conventional card connector (hereinafter referred to as connector) 9 comprises a rectangular plate-like housing 91 and a cover 92 . The cover 92 covers the recess 91 c formed in the housing 91 . A card S with a large outer shape and a card D with a small outer shape can be introduced into the concave portion 91c.

Referring to FIG. 11(B), the housing 91 has first opposing walls W1 and W1 with a narrow spacing and second opposing walls W2 and W2 with a wide spacing in the card insertion slot 91a. Referring to FIG. 12(B), a card D having a small outer shape slides on the bottom surface of recess 91c and can advance into housing 91 while being guided by first opposing walls W1 and W1. Referring to FIG. 12(A), a card S having a large outer shape can slide on a step higher than the bottom surface of recess 91c and enter housing 91 while being guided by second opposing walls W2 and W2.

Referring to FIG. 11 or 12, the connector 9 has multiple first contacts 93 and multiple second contacts 94 . The first contact 93 is arranged on the bottom surface of the recess 91c. The first contact 93 is arranged with its contact protruding from the bottom surface of the recess 91c. When the small-sized card D is inserted into the housing 91, the connection terminals formed at the ends of the small-sized card D can be brought into contact with the first contacts 93 (see FIG. 12B).

Referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(A), the second contact 94 is arranged on the inner wall of the housing 91 . The second contact 94 is arranged with its contact facing the bottom surface of the recess 91c. When the card S with a large outer shape is inserted into the housing 91, the connection terminals formed at the ends of the card S with a large outer shape can be brought into contact with the second contacts 94 (see FIG. 12A).

Referring to FIG. 11B, the connector 9 further includes a pair of lock fittings 95, 95, a shutter 96, and a partition plate 97. As shown in FIG. The pair of lock fittings 95 and 95 are arranged opposite to each other inside the housing 91 . The lock fitting 95 has its base end fixed to the housing 91 and is turned toward the card insertion slot 91 a and toward the inner side of the housing 91 . A portion of the lock fitting 95 protrudes from the second opposing wall W2.

Referring to FIG. 11B or FIG. 12, the shutter 96 is composed of a plate-like member (not shown) and a strip-like block 96b. The base end of the plate-like member (not shown) is rotatably connected to the bottom surface of the recess 91c. A plate member (not shown) fixes the block 96b to the tip. Block 96b is arranged across housing 91 .

Referring to FIG. 12(B), the shutter 96 stands up with its plate-like member biased by a torsion coil spring (not shown). 11B, both ends of the block 96b are engaged with openings 95h provided at free ends of the locking metal fittings 95 on the tip side. Thereby, the shutter 96 maintains the upright state.

Referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(B), the partition plate 97 is biased by a leaf spring (not shown) arranged on the bottom surface of the recess 91c and held in the middle portion of the recess 91c. . As will be described later, the block 96b presses the partition plate 97 by rotating the shutter 96 counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. can move.

Referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(B), the plate-like member (not shown) of shutter 96 has an opening at the center. When a card D with a small outer shape is inserted into the card insertion opening 91a, the card D with a small outer shape can be advanced into the inside of the housing 91 by being guided by the pair of first opposing walls W1 and W1. In this case, the plate member of the shutter 96 has an opening at the center, so that the card D with a small outer shape can pass through the shutter 96 . When the card D with a small outer shape is advanced further inside the housing 91, the card D with a small outer shape can be sandwiched between the partition plate 97 and the bottom surface of the recess 91c (see FIG. 12B).

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(A), when a card S with a large outer shape is inserted into the card insertion slot 91a, it is guided by the pair of second opposing walls W2 and W2, and the card S with a large outer shape is inserted into the card slot 91a. The card S can be advanced inside the housing 91 . In this case, since a portion of the lock fitting 95 protrudes from the second opposing wall W2 (see FIG. 11(B)), both side surfaces of the card S having a large outer shape are free ends of the pair of lock fittings 95, 95. , the engagement between the end of the block 96b and the opening 95h of the lock fitting 95 can be released.

Referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(A), when the card S with a large outer shape is advanced further inside the housing 91, the leading edge of the card S with a large outer shape abuts against the block 96b. In this case, since the engagement between the end of the block 96b and the opening 95h of the lock fitting 95 is released, when the card S with a large outer shape is advanced further into the housing 91, the shutter 96 is lifted from the upright state and is counterclockwise. can rotate in any direction.

11B or 12A, the block 96b can push down the front portion of the partition plate 97 by rotating the shutter 96 counterclockwise from the upright state. As a result, when the card S with a large outer shape is advanced further inside the housing 91 , the card S with a large outer shape can climb over the partition plate 97 .

Referring to FIG. 11(B) or FIG. 12(A), when the card S with a large outer shape is advanced further inside the housing 91, the card S with a large outer shape can move on the partition plate 97 toward the bottom surface of the recess 91c. (See FIG. 12(A)). In the state shown in FIG. 12A, the card S having a large outer shape is sandwiched between the partition plate 97 and the cover 92 .

In this manner, the connector 9 can hold a card S having a large outer shape by interlocking the pair of lock fittings 95, 95, the shutter 96, and the partition plate 97 inside. When the card S having a large outer shape is pulled out from the connector 9, these interlocking parts can be restored to their initial states.

The card connector according to the prior art is said to be capable of selectively mounting a card with a large external shape and a card with a small external shape. Also, the card connector according to the prior art can be made low-profile.

However, the card connector according to the prior art has many parts such as a pair of locking metal fittings, a shutter, a torsion coil spring for rotating the shutter, and a partition plate in order to mount a card with a large outer shape. Configure. This increases the cost of purchasing and assembling these parts.

There is a demand for a card connector that can be shared by cards having different external shapes and that has a reduced number of parts constituting the card connector. Reducing the number of parts that make up the card connector can contribute to reducing manufacturing costs. And the above can be said to be the subject of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a card connector which can be used in common with cards having different external shapes, and in which the number of parts constituting the card connector is reduced. aim.

The inventor of the present invention thought that the number of parts constituting the card connector could be reduced by directly interlocking the pair of locking metal fittings and the partition plate without intervening the shutter. Invented a new card connector.

(1) A card connector according to the present invention has a rectangular first card having a plurality of first connection terminals arranged at one end, and a width larger than the first card and a thickness smaller than the first card. A card connector capable of sharing a rectangular second card having a plurality of second connection terminals arranged at one end thereof, the card connector comprising: a first guide path for guiding the first card in the width direction; a plate-like housing having a second guide path for guiding two cards in the width direction in the card insertion slot and having a recess into which the first card or the second card can be introduced through the card insertion slot; a cover plate covering the concave portion of the housing; a plurality of first contacts arranged toward the bottom surface of the concave portion and capable of contacting the first connection terminals; and a second contact projecting from the bottom surface of the concave portion. a plurality of second contacts capable of coming into contact with the second connection terminals, fixed ends fixed to the inner wall of the recess, free ends partially projecting toward the center of the recess, and the second card While passing through the second guide path, a pair of bellows-shaped lock fittings with the free ends retracted toward the inner wall of the recess and a pair of lock fittings following the pair of lock fittings while crossing the recess. a partition plate arranged to partition between the cover plate and the bottom surface of the recess in a height direction; The lock fitting has locking openings at the free ends, and the partition plates protrude from both ends in opposite directions and are freely engageable with the locking openings. A pair of engaging portions is provided, and in a state in which the engaging portions and the locking opening are engaged, the first card can be moved between the cover plate and the partition plate, and the second card can be inserted into the card insertion slot. When the second card is inserted into the second guide path of the partition, the free end retracts toward the inner wall of the recess, disengaging the engaging portion from the locking opening, and moving the second card away from the partition. It is movable between the plate and the bottom surface of the recess.

(2) The engaging portion of the partition plate has a slidable inclined surface at the edge of the locking opening, and when the second card is pulled out from the concave portion, the locking metal fitting is free to move. It is preferable that the partition plate is moved toward the bottom surface of the concave portion by returning the end portion and sliding on the inclined surface.

(3) It is preferable to further include a shield plate that covers the housing from the side opposite to the cover plate.

A card connector according to the present invention includes a locking fitting having a locking opening at its free end, and a partition plate having an engaging portion at its end which can be engaged with the locking opening. The second card having a width larger than that of the first card can be introduced into the housing by interlocking the locking metal fittings and the partition plate, so that the number of parts can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a state in which a housing is covered with a shield plate, and FIG. Fig. 4 is a state diagram; FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing the configuration of the card connector according to the embodiment, FIG. 2A is a view showing a state in which the bottom side of the housing is covered with a cover plate, and FIG. 2B is a view showing the cover plate removed from the housing; Fig. 4 is a state diagram; 3(A) is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the main parts, and FIG. 3(B) is a perspective exploded view of the main parts. FIG. . It is a top view of FIG.2(B). 5(A) is a perspective view showing the configuration of the partition plate provided in the card connector according to the embodiment, FIG. 5(A) is a diagram of the partition plate viewed from one direction, and FIG. is a state diagram viewed from the direction of . FIG. 6A is an enlarged perspective view of the essential part of the card connector according to the embodiment, FIG. and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state in which the locking opening provided in the lock fitting and the engaging portion provided in the partition plate are disengaged. 7A is a perspective view of the card connector as seen from the bottom side, and FIG. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of. 8(A) is a perspective view of the card connector viewed from the bottom side, and FIG. A) is a longitudinal sectional view. FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the card connector as seen from the bottom side, and FIG. It is a vertical cross-sectional view of. 10(A) is a perspective view of the card connector as seen from the bottom side, and FIG. A) is a longitudinal sectional view. FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a conventional card connector, FIG. 11A is a state diagram with a cover attached, and FIG. 11B is a state diagram with the cover removed. 12A is a longitudinal sectional view showing the configuration of a conventional card connector, FIG. 12A is a state in which a card with a large external shape is installed inside, and FIG. 12B is a state in which a card with a small external shape is installed inside. is a state diagram.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Construction of card connector]
First, the configuration of a card connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

(overall structure)
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, a card connector (hereinafter abbreviated as connector) 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention can share a rectangular first card Cn and a rectangular second card Cb. Referring to FIG. 7 or 8, the first card Cn has a plurality of first connection terminals 1ct arranged on one surface of one end. Referring to FIG. 9B or FIG. 10B, the second card Cb has a plurality of second connection terminals 2ct arranged on the other surface of one end.

7 to 10, the second card Cb has a width greater than that of the first card Cn and a thickness less than that of the first card Cn. CFexpress (registered trademark) type A card, for example, can be applied to the first card Cn. An SD card, for example, can be applied to the second card Cb. In addition, the first card Cn may be called "narrow first card Cn", and the second card Cb may be called "wide second card Cb".

1 to 10, the connector 10 has a plate-like housing 1 and a cover plate 21. As shown in FIG. Also, the connector 10 has a plurality of first contacts 3 and a plurality of second contacts 4 .

Referring to FIG. 2, the housing 1 has a recess 1c with one side open. The cover plate 21 covers the recess 1c formed in the housing 1. As shown in FIG. Either the narrow first card Cn or the wide second card Cb can be inserted into the recess 1c.

Referring to FIG. 1, the housing 1 is formed with first opposing walls W1 and W1 having a narrow opposing interval and second opposing walls W2 and W2 having a wide opposing interval in the card slot 1a. Referring to FIG. 7(A) or FIG. 8(A), the narrow first card Cn moves along the bottom surface of the recessed portion 1c while being separated from the bottom surface of the recessed portion 1c. It can advance into the inside of the housing 1 guided by W1 and W1. The first opposing walls W1, W1 form a first guide path 1Wg that guides the narrow first card Cn in the width direction (see FIG. 1).

Referring to FIG. 9A or FIG. 10A, the wide second card Cb moves along the bottom surface of the recess 1c while being in close proximity to the bottom surface of the recess 1c. It can advance into the inside of the housing 1 guided by W2 and W2. The second opposing walls W2 and W2 form a second guide path 2Wg that guides the wide second card Cb in the width direction (see FIG. 1).

Referring to FIG. 2(B) or FIG. 7(B) and FIG. 8(B), the first contact 3 has the first contact 3s arranged toward the bottom surface of the recess 1c. When the narrow first card Cn is pushed into the housing 1, the first contacts 3 can come into contact with the first connection terminals 1ct (see FIG. 7 or 8).

Referring to FIG. 2(B) or FIGS. 9(B) and 10(B), the second contact 4 protrudes the second contact 4s from the bottom surface of the recess 1c. When the wide second card Cb is extended into the housing 1, the second contacts 4 can come into contact with the second connection terminals 2ct (see FIG. 9(B) or FIG. 10(B)).

Referring to FIG. 2(B) or FIGS. 3 to 6, the connector 10 further includes a pair of bellows-shaped lock fittings 5a and 5b and a partition plate 6. As shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 2(B) or FIG. 4, the pair of lock fittings 5a and 5b have their fixed ends 51 fixed to the inner wall of the recess 1c. The pair of locking metal fittings 5a and 5b are turned toward the card insertion slot 1a and the free end portions 52 are reversed toward the inner side of the housing 1 (see FIG. 4).

Referring to FIG. 2(B) or FIG. 4, the pair of lock fittings 5a and 5b partially protrude from the free ends 52 toward the central portion of the recess 1c. A portion of the free end portion 52 protrudes from the second opposing walls W2, W2. As will be described later, when the wide second card Cb passes through the second opposing walls W2, W2, the pair of free ends 52, 52 retreat toward the inner wall of the recess 1c.

Referring to FIG. 2B or FIG. 4, the partition plate 6 is arranged behind the pair of lock fittings 5a and 5b in a state of crossing the concave portion 1c. Referring to FIG. 7(B) or FIG. 9(B), the partition plate 6 partitions the cover plate 21 and the bottom surface of the recess 1c in the height direction.

3 or 6, the connector 10 has a pair of leaf spring pieces 41, 41 arranged on the bottom surface of the recess 1c. A pair of leaf spring pieces 41 , 41 urge the partition plate 6 to move toward the cover plate 21 .

3 or 6, the pair of locking fittings 5a and 5b have rectangular locking openings 52h at their free ends 52. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 3 or FIGS. 5 and 6, the partition plate 6 has a pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b at one end. The pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b protrude from both ends of the partition plate 6 in opposite directions. Normally, the pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b are engaged with the locking opening 52h (see FIG. 6(A)).

As shown in FIG. 6A, when the pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b are engaged with the locking opening 52h, the narrow first card Cn is inserted between the cover plate 21 and the partition plate 6. A space is formed (see FIG. 7(B)). Thereby, the narrow first card Cn can be moved between the cover plate 21 and the partition plate 6 . Then, the first connection terminal 1ct of the narrow first card Cn can be brought into contact with the first contact 3 (see FIG. 8B).

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 9(A), when a wide second card Cb is inserted into the second guide path 2Wg of the card insertion slot 1a, the free ends of the pair of lock fittings 5a and 5b are pushed into the inner wall of the recess 1c. (see Figure 4). As a result, the engagement state between the pair of engagement portions 6a and 6b and the locking opening 52h is released (see FIG. 6(B)).

As shown in FIG. 6B, when the pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b and the locking opening 52h are disengaged, the front portion of the partition plate 6 is held by the pair of leaf spring pieces 41 and 41. It is biased to move toward the cover plate 21 . In other words, by separating the partition plate 6 from the bottom surface of the recess 1c, a space is formed between the partition plate 6 and the bottom surface of the recess 1c into which the wide second card Cb can be inserted (FIG. 9B). reference). As a result, the wide second card Cb can be moved between the partition plate 6 and the bottom surface of the recess 1c. Then, the second connection terminals 2ct of the wide second card Cb can be brought into contact with the second contacts 4 (see FIG. 10B).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, the connector 10 according to the embodiment includes a pair of locking fittings 52a and 52b having locking openings 52h at their free ends, and engaging portions 6a and 6a which are engageable with the locking openings 52h. 6b at the end is provided inside the housing 1, and the pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b and the partition plate 6 interlock without interposing a shutter to form a second card having a width larger than that of the first card Cn. Since the two cards Cb can be introduced inside the housing 1, the number of parts can be reduced.

Referring to FIG. 3 or FIG. 5 and FIG. 6(B), the pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b have inclined surfaces 6s at their ends.

9(B) or 10(B), the wide second card Cb is inserted between the partition plate 6 and the bottom surface of the recess 1c, and then the wide second card Cb is inserted into the recess 1c. , the free ends of the pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b can return toward the inner wall of the recess 1c.

By returning the free ends of the pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b from the state shown in FIG. Resisting the biasing force of 41, the partition plate 6 can be returned toward the bottom surface of the recess 1c. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6A, the pair of engaging portions 6a and 6b and the locking opening 52h are returned to the engaged state.

As described above, the connector 10 according to the embodiment has the inclined surface 6s at the end of which the engaging portions 6a and 6b of the partition plate 6 are slidable on the edge of the locking opening 52h, so that the pair of locking metal fittings 52a are connected to each other. - 52b and the partition plate 6 are interlocked, and the partition plate 6 can be returned to the initial state.

Next, the configuration of the connector 10 according to the embodiment will be explained. Referring to FIG. 1A, the connector 10 further includes a shield plate 22. As shown in FIG. The shield plate 22 covers the housing 1 from the side opposite to the cover plate 21 . By covering the housing 1 with the shield plate 22, the connector 10 can be electromagnetically shielded.

Referring to FIG. 1A, part of the shield plate 22 is soldered to the surface of the printed circuit board 1p. That is, the connector 10 according to the embodiment is a surface mount connector.

Referring to FIG. 2B or FIG. 4, the connector 10 according to the embodiment includes a write protect switch 71s and a card recognition switch 72s. When the write protect switch 71s detects the card, it is possible to prevent writing to the card. The presence of the card can be electrically recognized by detecting the card with the card recognition switch 72s.

(Structure of Eject Mechanism)
Further, referring to FIG. 2B or FIG. 4, the connector 10 according to the embodiment further includes a push-push eject mechanism E. As shown in FIG. The housing 1 has an ejection mechanism E arranged at one end of the recess 1c. The eject mechanism E can operate to stop the first card Cn or the second card Cb when the first card Cn or the second card Cb is inserted into the concave portion 1c, and the first card Cn or the second card Cb in the stopped state can operate. The first card Cn or the second card Cb can be ejected from the connector 10 by pressing . Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the eject mechanism E will be described as a representative of the first card Cn.

Referring to FIG. 2B or FIG. 4, the eject mechanism E includes a flat plate-like slide member E1, a compression coil spring E2, and a guide rod E3. The slide member E1 is connected to the housing 1 so as to move back and forth in a direction parallel to the inserting/removing direction of the first card Cn. Further, the slide member E1 has a heart-shaped cam groove formed on its surface.

Referring to FIG. 4, the compression coil spring E2 is held inside one end of the recess 1c. Also, the compression coil spring E2 urges the slide member E1 in the direction in which the first card Cn is ejected. One end of the guide rod E3 is connected to a heart-shaped cam groove. The other end of the guide rod E3 is rotatably connected to the housing 1. As shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the first card Cn is inserted into the recess 1c and the slide member E1 is moved to the inner side of the housing 1 against the biasing force of the compression coil spring E2, one end of the guide rod E3 is , moves to the branch point of the heart-shaped cam groove. Then, when one end of the guide rod E3 reaches the branch point of the heart-shaped cam groove, the guide rod E3 can lock the slide member E1 and define the stop position of the first card Cn.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the first card Cn is pushed once from the state where one end of the guide rod E3 is positioned at the branch point of the heart-shaped cam groove, one end of the guide rod E3 moves toward the heart-shaped cam groove. is released from the branch point and moves relatively to the return stroke of the heart-shaped cam groove. Then, the compression coil spring E2 moves the slide member E1 toward the card insertion opening 1a of the housing 1, so that the first card Cn can be ejected.

(Housing configuration)
Next, the configuration of the housing 1 according to the embodiment will be described. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, housing 1 is preferably made of insulating synthetic resin. A desired shape of the housing 1 can be obtained by molding an insulating synthetic resin.

Referring to FIG. 2B or FIG. 4, the housing 1 has a plurality of first contacts 3 fixed to the back wall 11c. The first contact 3 is fixed by being press-fitted into the inner wall 11 c of the housing 1 .

2B or 4, the housing 1 forms the bottom wall of the recess 1c by insert-molding a lead frame F (see FIG. 3) including at least a plurality of second contacts 4. ing.

(Structure of first contact)
Next, the configuration of the first contact 3 according to the embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 1(B) or FIG. 2(B) and FIG. 3, the first contact 3 is preferably made of a conductive metal plate. A cantilevered bellows-shaped first contact 3 can be obtained by punching and bending a conductive deployment plate (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 1(B) or FIG. 2(B) and FIG. 3, the first contact 3 forms a lead portion 3r at the terminal end of its fixed end. These lead portions 3r can be soldered to the surface of the printed circuit board 1p (see FIG. 1(A)). In other words, the connector 10 is a surface mount type connector.

(Configuration of second contact)
Next, the configuration of the second contact 4 according to the embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 3 or 4, the second contact 4 is preferably made of a conductive metal plate. Referring to FIG. 3, the lead frame F includes a plurality of second contacts 4. As shown in FIG. A cantilevered bellows-shaped second contact 4 can be obtained by punching and bending a lead frame F consisting of a conductive development plate.

Referring to FIG. 3, the second contact 4 forms a lead portion 4r at the terminating end of its fixed end. These lead portions 4r can be soldered to the surface of the printed circuit board 1p (see FIG. 1(A)). In other words, the connector 10 is a surface mount type connector.

Incidentally, referring to FIG. 3, the lead frame F further includes a pair of locking metal fittings 5a and 5b and a pair of bellows-like locking metal fittings 5a and 5b. The pair of locking metal fittings 5a and 5b may be configured separately from the lead frame F, and the pair of locking metal fittings 5a and 5b may be arranged on the inner wall of the recess 1c.

(Structure of partition plate)
The configuration of the partition plate 6 according to the embodiment will be described. Referring to FIG. 3 or FIG. 5, the partition plate 6 may be formed of a metal plate into a desired shape, or a synthetic resin plate into a desired shape, and the material is not limited.

Referring to FIG. 5, the partition plate 6 has a pair of guide pieces 61g and 62g arranged opposite to each other. One guide piece 61g is continuous from the lock fitting 5a. The other guide piece 62g is continued from the lock fitting 5b. A narrow first card Cn can be inserted between the pair of guide pieces 61g and 62g, and both sides of the narrow first card Cn can be guided.

Referring to FIG. 5, the partition plate 6 further includes a pair of first restricting pieces 63c, 64c and three second restricting pieces 65c, 66c, 67c. A pair of first restricting pieces 63c and 64c stand in the same direction as the pair of guide pieces 61g and 62g. The pair of first restricting pieces 63c and 64c are arranged close to the inner wall of the recess 1c to restrict the lateral vibration of the partition plate 6. As shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 5, the three second restricting pieces 65c, 66c, 67c descend in the opposite direction to the pair of first restricting pieces 63c, 64c. The three second regulating pieces 65c, 66c, and 67c are arranged close to the inner wall of the recess 1c, thereby restricting the lateral vibration of the partition plate 6 and reducing the distance between the partition plate 6 and the bottom surface of the recess 1c. Regulating.

Further, referring to FIG. 5, the partition plate 6 has a substantially rectangular escape hole 6e opened in the center. Referring to FIG. 3B or FIG. 4, the escape hole 6e is opened at a position where the second contact 4 does not contact.

[Function of card connector]
Next, while describing the operation of the connector 10 according to the embodiment, the action and effect of the connector 10 will be described. First, the operation of the connector 10 when using the narrow first card Cn will be described. Referring to FIG. 7, a narrow first card Cn is inserted into the card slot 1a of the connector 10 with the first connection terminals 1ct facing upward (so-called reversed state) (see FIG. 1). .

1 or 7, when the narrow first card Cn is inserted into the card insertion slot 1a, the narrow first card Cn is guided along the first guide path 1Wg to the inner surface of the cover plate 21. can move along.

1 or 7, when the narrow first card Cn is inserted into the card insertion slot 1a with the first connection terminals 1ct facing downward (so-called normal state), as shown in FIG. Since the narrow first card Cn has steps on both side surfaces, the edge of the narrow first card Cn abuts the edge of the partition plate 6, thereby making the narrow first card Cn flat. It is possible to prevent erroneous insertion of Cn.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the process of inserting narrow first card Cn into card insertion slot 1a and reaching partition plate 6, both sides of narrow first card Cn does not come into contact with the pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b (see FIG. 6(A)), it can climb over the narrow first card Cn and advance into the recess 1c.

Next, referring to FIG. 8A, the narrow first card Cn is restrained and stopped by the slide member E1. In the state shown in FIG. 8, the first contact 3 is in contact with the first connection terminal 1ct. Thereby, the connector 10 and the narrow first card Cn can be electrically connected.

By pushing the narrow first card Cn once from the state shown in FIG. 8, the narrow first card Cn can be ejected from the connector 10 by the action of the ejection mechanism E (see FIG. 4).

Next, the operation of the connector 10 when using the wide second card Cb will be described. Referring to FIG. 7, a wide second card Cb is inserted into the card slot 1a of the connector 10 with the second connection terminals 2ct facing downward (so-called normal state) (see FIG. 1). .

1 or 9, when the wide second card Cb is inserted into the card slot 1a, it is guided along the second guide path 2Wg to slide the wide second card Cb along the bottom surface of the recess 1c. can move.

Referring to FIG. 1 or 9, when the wide second card Cb is inserted into the card insertion slot 1a with the second connection terminals 2ct facing upward (so-called reversed state), FIG. As shown in FIG. 10(A), the wide second card Cb has a step in the thickness direction between the central portion and both side portions. 1 (see FIG. 1), it is possible to prevent erroneous insertion of the wide second card Cb.

Referring to FIG. 9, in the process of inserting the wide second card Cb into the card slot 1a and reaching the partition plate 6, the wide second card Cb is inserted into a pair. The partition plate 6 is moved toward the cover plate 21 by linking the lock fittings 52a and 52b and the partition plate 6 (see FIG. 6B). It can advance between the bottom surfaces of 1c.

Next, referring to FIG. 10A, the wide second card Cb is restrained by the slide member E1 and stopped. In the state shown in FIG. 10, the second contact 4 is in contact with the second connection terminal 2ct. Thereby, the connector 10 and the wide second card Cb can be electrically connected.

By pushing the wide second card Cb once from the state shown in FIG. 10, the wide second card Cb can be ejected from the connector 10 by the action of the ejection mechanism E (see FIG. 4).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 10, the connector 10 according to the embodiment includes a pair of locking fittings 52a and 52b having locking openings 52h at their free ends, and engaging portions 6a and 6a which are engageable with the locking openings 52h. 6b at the end is provided inside the housing 1, and the pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b and the partition plate 6 interlock without interposing a shutter to form a second card having a width larger than that of the first card Cn. Since the two cards Cb can be introduced inside the housing 1, the number of parts can be reduced. And it can contribute to the reduction of the manufacturing cost of the connector 10 .

In addition, the connector 10 according to the embodiment has a pair of lock fittings 52a and 52b by forming a slidable inclined surface 6s at the edge of the locking opening 52h so that the engaging portions 6a and 6b of the partition plate 6 can slide. and the partition plate 6 can be returned to the initial state.

Furthermore, the connector 10 according to the embodiment includes a shield plate 22 that covers the housing 1 from the side opposite to the cover plate 21 , and the shield plate 22 covers the housing 1 , thereby electromagnetically shielding the connector 10 .

The partition plate used in the card connector according to the present invention may be made of a metal plate formed into a desired shape, or a synthetic resin plate formed into a desired shape, and the material is not limited.

In the card connector according to the present invention, an embodiment has been disclosed in which the narrow first card is inserted in the reverse state and the wide second card is inserted in the normal state. It is also possible to provide a card connector for inserting and inserting a wider second card in reverse.

1 housing 1a card slot 1c recess 1ct first connection terminal 1Wg first guide path 2ct second connection terminal 2Wg second guide path 3 first contact 3s first contact 4 second contact 4s second contact 5a, 5b pair of locks Bracket 6 Partition plate 6a, 6b Pair of engaging portions 10 Connector (card connector)
21 Cover plate 41 Leaf spring piece 51 Fixed end 52 Free end 52h Locking opening Cn First card Cb Second card

Claims (3)

A rectangular first card having a plurality of first connection terminals arranged at one end, a width larger than the first card and a thickness smaller than the first card, and a plurality of second cards at one end. A card connector capable of sharing a rectangular second card in which connection terminals are arranged,
The card insertion slot has a first guide path that guides the first card in the width direction and a second guide path that guides the second card in the width direction, and the first card is inserted through the card insertion slot. a plate-shaped housing having a recess into which the card or the second card can be introduced;
a cover plate covering the recess of the housing;
a plurality of first contacts arranged toward the bottom surface of the recess and capable of coming into contact with the first connection terminal;
a plurality of second contacts protruding from the bottom surface of the recess and capable of coming into contact with the second connection terminal;
The fixed end portion is fixed to the inner wall of the recess, the free end part protrudes toward the center portion of the recess, and the second card passes through the second guide path. a pair of bellows-shaped locking fittings whose portions retreat toward the inner wall of the recess;
a partition plate disposed downstream of the pair of lock fittings across the recess and partitioning the cover plate and the bottom surface of the recess in the height direction;
one or more leaf spring pieces arranged on the inner wall of the recess and biasing the partition plate toward the cover plate;
the locking fitting has a locking opening at the free end,
The partition plate has a pair of engaging portions that protrude in opposite directions from both ends and are freely engageable with the locking opening,
the first card can be moved between the cover plate and the partition plate in a state where the engaging portion and the locking opening are engaged;
When the second card is inserted into the second guide path of the card insertion slot, the free end retreats toward the inner wall of the recess, thereby releasing the engagement between the engaging portion and the locking opening. and wherein the second card can be moved between the partition plate and the bottom surface of the recess. the engaging portion of the partition plate has an inclined surface at its end portion that is slidable on the edge portion of the locking opening;
3. A free end of said lock fitting returns when said second card is pulled out from said recess and slides on said inclined surface, thereby moving said partition plate toward the bottom surface of said recess. 1. A card connector according to claim 1. 3. The card connector according to claim 1, further comprising a shield plate covering said housing from the opposite side of said cover plate.

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