Smart card connector
AssigneeThe Whitaker Corporation
InventorsJohn L. Broschard, III, David S. Slupe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A smart card connector with a card slot (10) for receiving a smart card employs an end position switch comprising a single resilient contact (14) engaging a stationary post (16) to detect full insertion of a smart card. Self cleaning wiping mating contact is generated when the resilient contact (14) engages the stationary rigid post (16). The resilient contact (14) and the post (16) are mounted in the rear of a housing base (4) which includes resilient data contacts (12). The housing base (4) also includes resilient cantilever diverter springs (18), molded into the housing base which both protect the data contacts (12) and provide a reactive force to counter the force exerted by the normally closed resilient contact (14) upon full insertion of the smart card.
Claims12
A connector for use with a smart card, the connector comprising:
- a housing having a front and a rear and including a base and a cover, the base and the cover defining a card slot between the base and the cover, the card slot being open at the front of the housing, the card slot extending into the housing toward the rear of the housing;
- a plurality of contacts positioned in the base and extending into the slot for engagement with corresponding contacts of the smart card upon insertion of the smart card into the card slot;
- a switch located at the rear of the card slot, the switch being activated when a smart card, fully inserted into the card slot, engages the switch, the switch comprising a stationary post and a spring member including a U-shaped deflectable section and a wiping section extending at an angle from an end of the deflectable section;
- the spring member being formed through an obtuse angle at the other end of the U-shaped section toward a location at which the spring member is mounted to the housing, the spring member being then formed through an acute angle so that a distal end of the spring member extends away from the location at which the spring member is mounted to the housing, the switch post being located between the obtuse angle and the acute angle on a side of the spring member,
- the post being located adjacent to the wiping section and in engagement with the wiping section when the spring member is in a closed position, the wiping section sliding along one side of the post as the spring member moves from an open position to a closed position with the post;
- the deflectable section being positioned for engagement with a smart card as the card is inserted into the card slot;
- both the spring member and the post being mounted in the base and having contact sections for connection to circuitry on a printed circuit board when the connector is mounted on the printed circuit board, and the spring member and post are connected to a circuit for determining when a card is present in the connector, wherein the spring member is in the open position when the card is fully inserted into the card slot and wherein the spring member is in the closed position when the card is removed from the card slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.