Compact smart card reader with ejector

A smart card reader for receiving a smart card that has opposite faces and contact pads on one of said faces, wherein the reader includes a frame having a card-adjacent surface, and a plurality of contacts mounted on said frame and having pad-engaging ends extending above said card-adjacent surface, comprising:

• a carriage that is slideable in forward and rearward longitudinal directions on the frame, said carriage having a card push surface for partially ejecting a card;
• a spring that urges the carriage rearward;
• a double click device that latches said carriage in a forward working position after the carriage has, for the first time been moved forward to an overtravel position that is slightly forward of said working position, and that releases the carriage to be moved rearward by said spring to an initial position when the carriage is pushed forward to said overtravel position for the second time;
• said carriage push surface lies above said card-engaging surface to enable a card front end to push said carriage forwardly, and said frame has a pair of stops that project above the level of said card-adjacent surface and that lie on either side of and even with said push surface in said overtravel position of said carriage.

A smart card reader for receiving a smart card that has a card face with contact pads therein and that has front and rear opposite ends, comprising:

• a frame that includes an upper card-adjacent face;
• a carriage that is slideable in front and rear longitudinal directions on said frame, said carriage having an upstanding push wall for engaging an end of the smart card;
• a plurality of contacts mounted on said frame and having pad engaging ends projecting above said card-adjacent face;
• said frame includes a main body with a rear portion that has laterally opposite sides, and a pair of laterally-spaced legs extending forwardly from each of said laterally opposite sides of said rear portion, said legs having front ends, said carriage lying between said legs and said legs forming guide walls that guide said carriage in longitudinal movement;
• said frame includes a front body that has laterally opposite side portions that are each connected to a front end of one of said legs, said front body having a central cavity region;
• said carriage being received in and longitudinally slideable in said central cavity region;
• and including
• a spring that biases said carriage rearwardly and that lies at least partially in said central cavity region.

A smart card reader for receiving a smart card that has a face with contact pads thereon and that has front and rear ends, the reader having contacts for engaging the pads, comprising:

• a frame that includes a rear body, said rear body having a rear part with laterally opposite sides and a pair of laterally-spaced legs extending forwardly from said opposite sides;
• said frame includes a front body with laterally opposite sides fixed to said legs, said front body having a middle cavity portion that opens rearwardly;
• a carriage that is slideably guided in front and rear movement between said legs, said carriage having a front portion that slides within said middle cavity portion, and said carriage front portion having a forwardly-opening spring passage;
• a largely helical wire spring that has a rear portion lying in said spring passage and a front portion lying in said middle cavity portion.