JP5047324B2 - Card fixing device and portable terminal - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a card fixing device in which a card such as a memory card or a card-type battery is attached to an electronic device or the like, and a portable terminal using the card fixing device.

  In recent years, the use of memory cards, which are small information recording media with a built-in solid-state memory, is widely used in various electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, and various computers. In addition, with the demand for downsizing of electronic devices, use of card-type batteries and the like is also considered.

  As a card fixing device for fixing a memory card to an electronic device in an electrically connected state, and releasing the fixed state and taking out the memory card, a card container for storing the memory card, There is known a structure constituted by a movable locking body configured separately from the card housing and fixed to and released from the memory card by being rotatably attached to the card housing ( For example, see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

JP 2002-124328 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-176516

  Here, it is preferable that attachment of the card container to the apparatus main body is as easy as possible.

  An object of this invention is to provide the card fixing apparatus with which the attachment of the card | curd container with respect to an apparatus main body is easy.

The present invention has a card housing for housing a card configured to be electrically connectable to a contact, and the card housing has a slide fixing mechanism that can be fixed in an apparatus body by sliding. In the card fixing device , the card container is provided with a bottomed storage space in which the card is stored, provided on one side wall, and a locking portion that inserts one side of the card and restrains the card; A vertical portion provided on the other side wall facing the one side wall and extending vertically upward, and bent from the upper end of the vertical portion to the inside of the accommodation space, and one side of the card is restrained by the locking portion. A guide portion that abuts against the other side of the card, and is deformed when the card is pushed along the guide portion to allow insertion of the card into the accommodation space. The locking part, The guide portion is formed with a bent portion that is bent to the outside of the accommodating space, the bent portion is extended so as to pass through a hole opened in the vertical portion, and a tip of the bent portion is the vertical portion. It has a stopper locked to the part.

  According to the card fixing device of the present invention, it is easy to attach the card container to the device main body.

It is a top perspective view which shows the 1st example of a card container which comprises the card | curd fixing device of this invention. It is the back perspective view which looked at the card fixing device of Drawing 1 from the back. It is a back perspective view of the flexible lock part in the card | curd fixing apparatus of FIG. It is a top perspective view which shows an example of the apparatus main body which applies the card | curd fixing device of FIG. It is a top perspective view which shows the state which fixed the card | curd fixing apparatus of FIG. 1 to the apparatus main body of FIG. It is a top perspective view which shows the state which has inserted the card | curd in the card | curd fixing device. It is sectional drawing which shows the insertion action state of the card | curd which looked at FIG. 6 from the VII-VII direction. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in which the card | curd was accommodated in the accommodation space from the state of FIG. It is a top perspective view in the state where a card was inserted in a card fixing device. It is the back perspective view which looked at FIG. 5 from the back surface. It is a top perspective view which shows the 2nd example of a card container which comprises the card | curd fixing device of this invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is a plan perspective view showing a first embodiment of the card fixing device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the card fixing device of FIG. 1 viewed from the back side, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the card fixing device of FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the flexible lock portion, FIG. 4 is a plan perspective view showing an example of a device main body to which the card fixing device of FIG. 1 is applied, and FIG. 5 is a state in which the card fixing device of FIG. 1 is fixed to the device main body of FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan perspective view showing a state where a card is inserted into the card fixing device, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a card insertion operation state when FIG. 6 is viewed from the VII-VII direction, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the card is stored in the accommodation space from the state of FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a plan perspective view of the card fixing device with the card mounted thereon, and FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of FIG. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the card fixing device of the present invention comprises a card container 1 integrally formed by sheet metal processing using a metal plate having a spring property. 4 is fixed to a mounting opening 3 formed in a mobile phone or the like shown as an example of the device main body 2 (housing). Then, a card 4 (see FIG. 6) such as a memory card is mounted on the card housing 1 to electrically connect with the spring contact 5 of the device main body 2 shown in FIG. 4 can be taken out. A plurality of spring contacts 5 shown in FIG. 5 are provided in a spring contact terminal connector 5a mounted on a board (not shown), and each spring contact 5 is urged so as to always maintain a state of protruding upward by its own repulsive force. Has been. Accordingly, when the card 4 is mounted on the card housing 1 so as to press the card 4 against the spring contact 5, the card 4 is electrically connected to the spring contact 5.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the card housing 1 includes a substantially rectangular bottomed storage space 6 that is open at the top and can store a card, and the spring contact of FIG. 5 at the bottom of the storage space 6. A connection opening 7 is formed at a position corresponding to 5. The card container 1 is made of a sheet metal part integrally processed by a press or the like using a thin plate such as a stainless steel material (SUS304-CSP) having a spring property, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 6, one side of the card 4 is inserted into the upper portion of the one side wall 6a (left side wall) forming the accommodation space 6 of the card container 1 so as to be restrained inside the accommodation space 6. The bent locking jaw 8 is integrally formed.

  Further, a card having one side locked to the locking jaw portion 8 as shown in FIG. 6 on the other side wall 6b (right side wall) facing the one side wall 6a forming the receiving space 6 of the card container 1 as shown in FIG. By pushing the other side of the card 4, the card 4 can be mounted in the receiving space 6 so that it cannot be removed, and a flexible lock portion 9 for taking out the card 4 mounted in the receiving space 6 is integrally formed. It is.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the flexible lock portion 9 includes a vertical portion 10 that extends vertically upward on the other side wall 6 b of the accommodation space 6, and is bent from the upper end of the vertical portion 10 to the accommodation space 6 side. And an inclined guide portion 11 that is inclined. The inclined guide part 11 of the flexible lock part 9 maintains a state in which the lower end always protrudes toward the accommodation space 6, and the lower end of the inclination guide part 11 is pushed when the inclination guide part 11 is pushed from the accommodation space 6 side with a finger. Has a spring characteristic that can be deformed to the outside of the housing space 6.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, a lower end of the inclined guide portion 11 has a bent portion 12 bent horizontally toward the outside of the accommodation space 6, and the tip of the bent portion 12 is the vertical portion 10. The stopper 13 which restrict | limits the amount of outward deformation | transformation is comprised by contact | abutting to the inner surface of this. This stopper 13 prevents the spring function of the flexible lock portion 9 from being destroyed. A part of the tip of the bent portion 12 extends through a hole 14 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formed in the vertical portion 10, and the tip of the extended portion 15 is directed downward. The stopper 16 is configured to limit the amount of inward deformation by bending and contacting the outer surface of the vertical portion 10. The stopper 16 keeps the holding width S at which the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11 protrudes toward the accommodation space 6 substantially constant (see FIG. 7).

  The inclined guide portion 11 of the flexible lock portion 9 is formed with a pressing recess 17 for hooking a fingernail when the inclined guide portion 11 is deformed outward of the accommodating space 6.

  Further, a rear extension piece 18 bent rearward is formed on the rear end wall 6c in a direction orthogonal to the side provided with the locking jaw portion 8 and the flexible lock portion 9 of the storage space 6, At the corner between the rear extension piece 18 and the rear end wall 6c, a take-out recess 19 for taking out the card 4 by hooking a fingernail is formed.

  Note that an insulating sheet for preventing the card 4 from coming into contact with equipment other than the spring contact 5 may be attached to the bottom of the accommodation space 6 excluding the connection opening 7.

  The card container 1 is provided with a slide fixing mechanism that can be fixed to the device main body 2 only by being placed in the mounting opening 3 of the device main body 2 and sliding.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the slide fixing mechanism includes side portions that are bent from the upper end of the accommodation space 6 toward the outside of the side at four locations in the longitudinal direction on one side wall 6 a and the other side wall 6 b of the accommodation space 6. Stop pieces 21, 22, 23, and 24 are formed.

  In addition, a front locking piece 25 is formed at the upper end of the front end wall 6d of the housing space 6 and bent forward while maintaining the full width of the front end wall 6d. Locking claws 26a and 26b bent downward are formed at the front end of the direction end portion.

  Then, rear holding pieces 27 and 28 that are bent from the bottom of the accommodating space 6 toward the outside of the side are formed below the side locking pieces 23 and 24 on the rear side. The rear gripping pieces 27 and 28 are shorter in length in the front-rear direction than the side locking pieces 23 and 24. In addition, a front holding piece 29 that is bent forward from the bottom of the accommodation space 6 is formed at the center lower portion of the front locking piece 25 in the width direction.

  On the other hand, on the upper edge of the mounting opening 3 in the device main body 2, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, side locking pieces 21, 23 provided on the card housing 1 can be moved back and forth at a required distance. A guide recess 31 having a shallow depth to be supported on the guide portion 31 and a guide surface 31 ′ for receiving the side locking pieces 22, 24 are formed, and the rear guide recess 31 has a short front and rear holding piece 27. , 28 form a notch 32 that can penetrate vertically. Therefore, when the card container 1 is placed in the mounting opening 3 of the device body 2, the rear gripping pieces 27 and 28 pass through the notch 32 and the side locking pieces 21 and 22 as shown in FIGS. , 23, 24 are locked on the guide recess 31 and the guide surface 31 ′. Therefore, when the card container 1 is slid forward, the side gripping portion 33 below the guide recess 31 is moved to the side locking piece 23. , 24 and rear gripping pieces 27, 28 are held from above and below. An inclined surface 33a is formed on the back surface of the side gripping portion 33 so as to face downward, so that the rear gripping pieces 27 and 28 can smoothly advance.

  Further, a front gripping portion 34 is provided in the front portion of the mounting opening 3 of the device main body 2. On the upper surface of the front gripping portion 34, an inclined surface 35 whose height increases toward the front for guiding the locking claws 26a, 26b at the tip of the front locking piece 25, and a front end of the inclined surface 35 are formed. Then, a fitting groove 36 into which the locking claws 26a and 26b are fitted is formed, and the lower surface of the front holding portion 34 is formed when the card container 1 is slid forward from the rear side. A holding surface 37 that guides the forward movement of the front holding piece 29 is formed. The holding surface 37 is formed with an inclined surface 37a inclined downward toward the front, so that the front holding piece 29 can smoothly advance. As a result, the locking claws 26a, 26b and the front gripping piece 29 grip the front gripping portion 34 from the vertical direction.

  The operation of the above embodiment will be described below.

  The card container 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is fixed to the device main body 2 such as the mobile phone shown in FIG. 4 by a slide fixing mechanism as follows. First, when the card container 1 is fitted into the mounting opening 3 formed in the device body 2, the rear gripping pieces 27 and 28 of the card container 1 pass through the notch 32 and the side locking pieces 21. , 22, 23, 24 are locked onto the guide recess 31 and the guide surface 31 ′. In this state, the card container 1 is pushed with a finger so as to slide forward. Then, the rear gripping pieces 27, 28 enter along the inclined surface 33 a on the lower surface of the side gripping portion 33, so that the side gripping portion 33 has the side locking pieces 23, 24 and the rear gripping pieces 27, 28. Is held from above and below.

  At the same time, by the slide, the front gripping piece 29 enters the gripping surface 37 on the lower surface of the front gripping part 34 along the inclined surface 37a and the locking claws 26a, 26b of the front locking piece 25 are moved. After being advanced along the inclined surface 35, it is fitted into the fitting groove 36. As a result, the front gripping portion 34 is gripped by the locking claws 26a, 26b and the front gripping piece 29 from the vertical direction.

  According to the slide fixing mechanism, the card container 1 can be fixed to the device main body 2 by a simple operation of sliding, so that the assembling work can be performed easily and efficiently. In addition, since the slide fixing mechanism has a function of slamming, the card container 1 fixed to the device main body 2 is difficult to remove and difficult to come off.

  Next, operations for mounting and removing the card 4 from the card container 1 will be described.

  To attach the card 4 to the card container 1, as shown in FIG. 6, one side of the card 4 is inserted below the card jaw provided on one side wall 6 a of the card container 1. At this time, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, the inclined guide portion 11 of the flexible lock portion 9 protrudes toward the receiving space 6 with the stopper 16 hitting the outer surface of the vertical portion 10. Is in an oblique state on the inclined guide portion 11. From this state, the other side of the card 4 is pressed with a finger as indicated by an arrow A from above. Then, the flexible lock portion 9 is deformed outward as indicated by a two-dot chain line due to its spring characteristics, and the other side of the card 4 descends along the inclined guide portion 11, and passes through the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11. Is accommodated in the accommodating space 6 as shown in FIGS. When the other side of the card 4 passes through the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11, the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11 projects again toward the accommodation space 6 due to its spring characteristics, and the card 4 accommodated in the accommodation space 6 cannot be removed. It becomes. At this time, the protruding length of the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11 toward the accommodation space 6 is defined by the stopper 16 and the holding width S of the card 4 is set.

  As described above, the card 4 can be inserted into the accommodation space 6 simply by pushing the card 4 with a finger of one hand. Further, in the state where the card 4 is mounted in the accommodation space 6, the card 4 is pushed against the upward repulsive force of the spring contact 5 in FIG. Thus, the electrical connection between the card 4 and the spring contact 5 is reliably maintained.

  In addition, when the thickness of the portable telephone is reduced and the space between the bottom surface of the accommodation space 6 of the card container 1 and the card 4 is reduced, it is necessary to reliably insulate the card container 1 and the card 4 from each other. In such a case, as described above, an insulating sheet is attached to the bottom surface of the housing space 6 or the card opening 1 is opened by opening the connection opening 7 large. 1 and the card 4 can be prevented from contacting each other.

  Next, in order to take out the card 4 accommodated in the card container 1, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the index finger nail is inserted into the pressing recess 17 formed in the inclined guide portion 11 of the flexible lock portion 9. The inclined guide portion 11 is pressed against the housing space 6 as indicated by an arrow B. At this time, since the depression recess 17 is provided in the inclined guide portion 11, the pressing point by the fingertip is specified and it is easy to apply a force.

  When the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11 is deformed to the outside from the other side of the card 4, the card 4 is released from restraint by the lower end of the inclined guide portion 11, so that the card 4 jumps upward by the repulsive force of the spring contact 5. become. At this time, the action of deforming the inclined guide portion 11 by pressing the pressing recess 17 with the fingertip and the action of the card 4 jumping out of the receiving space 6 occur almost simultaneously, so the card 4 hits the finger, Problems such as the card 4 jumping out of the card container 1 and getting dirty or lost can be prevented. Further, when the card 4 jumping out of the accommodation space 6 and hitting the finger is lifted along the inclined guide portion 11 when the finger is released from the pressing concave portion 17, the card 4 is moved in the longitudinal direction. Can be picked from both ends and easily removed with one hand.

  Further, even if the fingertip is displaced from the pressing point of the pressing concave portion 17 and the card 4 may stop popping out halfway, a nail is put into the extracting concave portion 19 formed in the rear end wall 6c. The card 4 can be easily taken out.

  FIG. 11 is a plan perspective view showing a second embodiment of the card fixing device of the present invention. The embodiment shown in FIG. 11 has the same basic configuration as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but only the configuration of the flexible lock portion is different. Therefore, only the portions different in this configuration will be described.

  The flexible lock portion 38 shown in FIG. 11 has an extended flexible portion 40 that extends from the rising portion 39 formed at the end of the other side wall 6b of the accommodation space 6 to the center side of the other side wall 6b. An inclined guide portion 41 is formed at the tip of the extended flexible portion 40. In this embodiment as well, the inclined guide portion 41 may be provided with the pressing concave portion 17 as shown in FIG.

  Also in the embodiment of FIG. 11, the lower end of the inclined guide portion 41 always protrudes toward the accommodation space 6, and the inclined guide portion is deformed by pressing the inclined guide portion 41 in the direction of arrow B to deform the extended flexible portion. The card can be taken out by moving to the outside of the storage space 6 and can act in exactly the same manner as the card storage body 1 shown in FIGS. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the configuration can be further simplified as compared with the case of FIGS.

  As described above, in the present invention, since the card fixing device is constituted by the card container 1 made of a single-piece sheet metal part, the accuracy of the card fixing device and the reliability of strength can be improved, and The card 4 can be mounted and the card 4 can be taken out by the flexible lock portion 9 provided in the card container 1 with one hand operation.

  In addition, since the card container 1 is fixed to the device main body 2 by the slide fixing mechanism, it is very easy to attach the card container 1 to the device main body 2, and the assembly work efficiency can be greatly increased. And the card | curd container 1 is reliably attached to the apparatus main body 2, and becomes difficult to remove | deviate from the apparatus main body 2. FIG.

  The card fixing device of the present invention can be applied to fixing / removing card-type batteries and the like other than the memory card described above. Further, the card fixing device can be applied to fixing / removing a card with respect to a PDA, a personal computer, etc. in addition to a portable telephone.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1 Card body 2 Device body (frame)
4 Card 5 Spring Contact 6 Accommodating Space 6a One Side Wall 6b Other Side Wall 6c Rear End Wall 6d Front End Wall 7 Opening Portion 8 Locking Jaw 9 Flexible Lock Part 10 Vertical Part 11 Inclination Guide Part 12 Bending Part 13 Stopper 14 Hole 16 Stopper 17 Depressing concave portion 19 Retracting concave portion 38 Flexible lock portion 39 Rising portion 40 Extended flexible portion 41 Inclined guide portion

Claims (8)

A card housing for housing a card configured to be electrically connectable to the contact;
In the card fixing device having a slide fixing mechanism that can be fixed in the apparatus main body by sliding the card container ,
The card container is provided with a bottomed storage space for storing a card,
A locking portion that is provided on one side wall and inserts one side of the card to restrain the card;
A vertical portion provided on the other side wall facing the one side wall and extending vertically upward, and bent from the upper end of the vertical portion to the inside of the accommodation space, and one side of the card is restrained by the locking portion. A guide portion that abuts against the other side of the card, and is deformed when the card is pushed along the guide portion to allow insertion of the card into the accommodation space. A locking portion,
The guide portion is formed with a bent portion that is bent outside the accommodation space.
The card-fixing device, wherein the bent portion includes a stopper that extends through a hole opened in the vertical portion and has a tip that is locked to the vertical portion. The contact is a spring contact having a spring property,
When the guide portion of the flexible lock portion is deformed to the outside of the storage space, the card stored in the storage space is pushed upward by the repulsive force of the spring contact. The card fixing device according to claim 1, wherein: Wherein the said guide portion of the elastic lock portion, the card locking device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressing recess formed. The card fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an extraction recess for card extraction is provided on an end wall of the card container that is orthogonal to the one side wall. . The guide portion is formed at a distal end of an extended flexible portion that extends from a rising portion of an end portion of the other side wall of the accommodation space to a center side of the other side wall of the accommodation space. Item 2. A card fixing device according to item 1 . The card fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein an insulating sheet is attached to a bottom of the accommodation space. The card fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the card is a memory card. A mobile terminal having a card retention mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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