Cartridge connection mechanism

An information medium connection mechanism for connecting an information medium having upper and lower portions including a storage medium having information stored therein with an electronic equipment body allowing external equipment to output the information of said storage medium via a connector, said information medium connection mechanism comprising:

• a support frame provided on said electronic equipment body for supporting said information medium while abutting against a part or all of a back surface of said information medium;
• a connecting section provided on a lower part of said support frame for connecting a lower portion of said information medium;
• a retainer section provided on an upper part of said support frame for contacting and releasably retaining an upper portion of said information medium,
• said connecting section including:
• an inlet opening provided on a top of said connecting section for receiving said lower portion of said information medium;
• a support section for rotatably supporting said information medium, said support section contacting said lower end of said information medium received through said inlet opening and enabling a pivoting movement about a contact point;
• and
• an electric contact section for electrically connecting said information medium with said connector by electrically connecting with said information medium when the back surface of said information medium supported by said support section is pivoted to lie in a predetermined angular state in which it comes into abutment against said support frame and is releasably retained by the retainer section;
• said retainer section adapted to releasably retain a top of said information medium when said information medium is connected to said connecting section in said predetermined angular state.

Electronic equipment intended to be connected to an information medium including a storage medium having information stored therein, said electronic equipment adapted to allow external equipment to output the information of said storage medium by way of a connector, said electronic equipment comprising:

• a support frame for supporting said information medium while abutting against a part or all of the back surface of said information medium;
• a connecting section provided on the lower part of said support frame for connecting the lower part of said information medium;
• a retainer section provided on an upper part of said support frame for contacting and releasably retaining the upper portion of said information medium,
• said connecting section including:
• an inlet opening provided on the top thereof for receiving said information medium;
• a support section for rotatably supporting said information medium on a pivotal shaft, said support section contacting an end of said lower part of said information medium received through said inlet opening to enable a pivoting movement about said end;
• and
• an electric contact section for electrically connecting said information medium with said connector by electrically connecting with said information medium when the back surface of said information medium supported by said support section is pivoted to lie in a predetermined annular state in which it comes into abutment against said support frame and is releasably retained by the retainer section;
• said retainer section adapted to releasably retain a top of said information medium when said information medium is connected to said connecting section in the predetermined angular state.

An electronic equipment having a cartridge connection mechanism for removably connecting a cartridge, said electronic equipment comprising:

• a connector section electrically connected to said cartridge;
• a retainer section for releasably retaining said cartridge when connected to the electronic equipment;
• said connector section including a contact member having terminals arranged thereon and a guide member provided adjacent to the contact member to leave a space between itself and the contact member;
• said cartridge including a substrate having a contact section provided at a portion thereof, corresponding to the terminals;
• said electronic equipment being connected to said cartridge by inserting a portion of said cartridge having said contact section on said substrate between said contact member and said guide member so as to initially provide said cartridge with an inclination relative to a predetermined position where said cartridge is to be connected with the electronic equipment, the guide member enabling an operator to push the cartridge to pivot it around the inserted portion of the substrate until the contact section of the substrate contacts with said terminals.