US 6,203,378 B1Granted

Card connecting adapter

AssigneeJapan Solderless Terminal MGF. Co., Ltd

InventorsYoshitaka Shobara, Kiyoshi Washino

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Abstract

A card connecting adapter for connecting, to a card slot of one standard, a card of the other standard. The adapter has a first connecting portion corresponding to the card slot, a second connecting portion corresponding to the card, a plurality of terminals for electrical connection to the card, shutter mechanism, and locking mechanism. The shutter mechanism has a shutter member displaceable between a protecting position where the terminals are protected from the exterior and a connecting position where the terminals are exposed, and interlocking mechanism for displacing the shutter member in synchronization with operations for mounting/removing the card on/from the second connecting portion. The locking mechanism includes a locking spring member that is disengaged from the shutter member upon being deformed by the mounting of the card, and that is returned to an engaged state with the shutter member by removal of the card. The locking mechanism thus allows the displacement of the shutter member when mounting the card, while inhibiting the displacement of the shutter member when removing the card.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A card connecting adapter used for connecting, to a card slot adhering to a predetermined first standard, a card adhering to a second standard different from the first standard,

the card connecting adapter comprising:
a first connecting portion adhering to the first standard;
a second connecting portion adhering to the second standard;
a plurality of terminals provided in the second connecting portion for electrical connection to a card adhering to the second standard;
shutter mechanisms having a shutter member provided so as to be displaceable between a protecting position where the plurality of terminals are protected from exterior and a connecting position where the plurality of terminals are exposed, and interlocking mechanism for displacing the shutter member from the protecting position to the connecting position in synchronization with an operation for mounting the card on the second connecting portion, while displacing the shutter member from the connecting position to the protecting position in synchronization with an operation for removing the card from the second connecting portion;
and
locking mechanism which enters an unlocked state where the displacement of the shutter member is allowed in synchronization with the operation for mounting the card on the second connecting portion, while entering a locked state where the displacement of the shutter member is inhibited in synchronization with the operation for removing the card from the second connecting portion,
wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking spring member which is disengaged from the shutter member upon being elastically deformed by the mounting of the card, while being returned to an engaged state with the shutter member by the removal of the card, said locking spring member being formed of one piece.

5 more elements

A card connecting adapter used for connecting, to a card slot adhering to a predetermined first standard, a card adhering to a second standard different from the first standard,

the card connecting adapter comprising:
a first connecting portion adhering to the first standard;
a second connecting portion adhering to the second standard;
a plurality of terminals provided in the second connecting portion for electrical connection to a card adhering to the second standard;
a main body of said second connecting portion;
shutter mechanisms having a shutter member slidably engaging said main body and being displaceable between a protecting position where the plurality of terminals are protected from exterior and a connecting position where the plurality of terminals are exposed, and interlocking mechanism for displacing the shutter member from the protecting position to the connecting position in synchronization with an operation for mounting the card on the second connecting portion, while displacing the shutter member from the connecting position to the protecting position in synchronization with an operation for removing the card from the second connecting portion;
and
a locking mechanism which enters an unlocked state where the displacement of the shutter member is allowed in synchronization with the operation for mounting the card on the second connecting portion, while entering a locked state where the displacement of the shutter member is inhibited in synchronization with the operation for removing the card from the second connecting portion;
wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking spring member being formed of one piece.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/255,878Filed 23 Feb 1999
Priority: JP 10-04596026 Feb 1998
Granted: 20 Mar 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H05K 5/0265
Having standardized interfaces: of PCMCIA type
H01R 31/005
Coupling parts supported only by co-operation with counterpart: intermediate parts for distributing signals
H05K 5/0282
Of interchangeable modules or receptacles therefor, e.g. cartridge mechanisms: adapters for connecting cards having a first standard in…
H01R 2201/06
Connectors or connections adapted for particular applications: for computer periphery