BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A smart card connector sometimes must be mounted on a panel that has a slot through which the smart card can be inserted. The connector is part of, or mounted on a frame that should be easily mounted on the panel and should hold itself securely to the panel. Such frame should have a minimum number of parts and perform the functions of guiding a card into a slot where contacts engage contact pads of the card.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a frame is provided that holds smart card connector contacts and that is constructed to hold itself to a slot in a panel so a smart card can be inserted rearwardly through a window in the panel to engage the contacts. The frame is of the type that has lugs that can be inserted into the window and then raised so lug slots receive panel window edges, with fingers of the frame then snapping into the window to lie against the bottom of the window edge. The fingers lie at the ends of primarily laterally-extending long beams that biased the fingers rearwardly. The beams are part of an X-shaped beam structure that includes two rear beams with laterally spaced mounted rear ends and with front ends that are fixed together in a joint, and that also includes two front beams that extend laterally away from the joint and that have free ends that carry the fingers.
The lugs form opposite side guides for guiding the card into a card-receiving slot. The lugs and fingers form ramps that guide the leading edge of a card vertically into the slot. The free ends of the beams on which the fingers are mounted, form stops that lie below the fingers and that abut the rear face of the panel immediately below the fingers.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a frame assembly, or frame constructed in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a front of a panel with a window therein, into which the frame of FIG. 1 can be installed.
FIG. 3 is bottom view of the frame of FIG. 1, shown installed on the panel of FIG. 2, and with a smart card fully installed in the frame.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the frame of FIG. 1, but without the card.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a view taken along arrow F6 of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows an assembly 10 for receiving a smart card, which includes a molded plastic frame 14 that supports a connector or that includes a connector portion 12 that is integral with the frame. The frame is constructed for mounting in a window 18 (FIG. 2) of a panel 16. FIG. 5 shows the frame mounted in the panel window, and shows that the frame forms a card-receiving slot 22 with slot parts 24, 54 that receive a smart card C (FIG. 3) that is inserted in a rearward direction R though the panel window. The card has contact pads (not shown) on its lower surface 22 (FIG. 3), and the frame has contacts 20 (FIG. 5) in the form of contact blades, that engage the card contact pads. The frame includes a horizontal plate-shaped rear part 26 that includes the connector or connector portion 12, and also includes a front part 28 that is constructed to mount to the walls of the panel window.
The window 18 of FIG. 2 is of a known shape, and includes horizontally extending upper and lower edges 30, 31 and vertically extending edges 33. A lower part of the window has notches 34 at laterally L opposite sides of the window.
The front part 28 (FIG. 1) of the frame includes a pair of forward projections 36 with upper ends that extend above the level of the frame rear part 26 and that project forward and upward from laterally opposite sides of the frame rear part. The front projections form a pair of end faces 40 that face forwardly and that are intended to abut the rear face of the panel. Each forward projection also has a locking lug 42 with a tab 44. Each lug forms an upwardly and sidewardly-opening slot 45 that lies between the end face 40 and a rear of the lug. The tabs 44, which have inclined lower and upper surfaces 44, 49 (FIG. 6) help guide the lugs into the window by passing though the notches 34 of the window.
Initially the frame is at a slightly lower position relative to the panel window 18 than is shown in FIG. 5. In this position, the lugs 42 are inserted into the window until the end faces 40 abut the rear surface 15 of the panel. Then, the entire frame, including the lugs are raised, so slots 45 in the lugs receive upper and side edge portions of the window. Slot locations behind the tabs 44 of the lugs receive window edge portions 33 (FIG. 2) that lie above the notches. The lug portions lying laterally inward of and above the tabs receive the window upper edge portions 30. In this position, walls at the bottom of the lug slots 45 abut the top edge portions 30 of the window.
When the lugs are raised as described above, a pair of locking fingers 60 (FIG. 1) snap into the window and lie against the lower edge portion 31 of the window. The locking fingers are formed at free ends of an elastic beam structure 62 that is largely in the form of an X. The beam structure includes a rear branch 64 having two rear beams 100 that extend primarily in a lateral direction L. The rear beams have laterally spaced (by a majority of the frame lateral width) mounted end 66 that are each fixed to the rear part 26 of the frame. The rear beams extend laterally toward the lateral middle of the frame and have front ends that merge in a joint 68. The beam structure also has a front branch 70 that includes a pair of forward beams 110 that extend primarily laterally and that each has a rear end 114 that merges with the joint 68. The front beams extend primarily laterally away from the joint and from each other, and each has a free front end 74 that forms one of the locking fingers 60.
Thus, each locking finger is carried by an elastic beam that can be said to include one rear beam 100 and one front beam 110 and that together have a lateral length at least half the average lateral width of the frame and that lie in a wide space 108 (FIG. 4) between the forward projections 36 that form the lugs. The front beams 110 allow the fingers 60 to pivot slightly about horizontal axes, to ride over the lower edge 31 of the window as the fingers snap into the window and to thereafter press down against the window. As shown in FIG. 5, each finger has a front face 76 with inclined top and bottom surfaces 78, 76, and in the form of an arc of a cylinder that has a horizontal axis. The upper part 76 of the front face forms a ramp that extends at a rearward-upward incline. This ramp helps guide the leading edge of a card that is being inserted, up into the rear slot portion 54. The lugs 42 form ramps 56 on their tabs, that extend at rearward-downward inclines to guide the leading edge of a card downward into the rear slot portion. The lugs also form side guides 112 at sides of the lugs that face each other, to guide the sides of a card that is being inserted.
The bottom 80 of each finger extends horizontally and lies against the lower edge portion of the window, preferably by pressing against it. Each front beam free end has a lower stop face 82 that is substantially coplanar with the front face 40 of the projections, and which bear against the rear surface of the panel.
Although terms such as “upper” and “lower” have been used to describe the invention as it is illustrated, it should be realized that the frame can be used in any orientation.
Thus, the invention provides a frame that holds contacts that engage contact pads of a smart card, which can be easily and securely mounted in a window of a panel, and that has a minimum number of simple parts. The frame includes a pair of laterally spaced lugs that are inserted into the window and raised to receive upper window edge portions, and includes fingers that snap into the window as the frame is raised to abut lower window edge portions. The fingers are mounted at the free ends of beans that extend primarily laterally. The beams are preferably parts of an X-shaped structure that includes primarily laterally-extending rear beams joined at a joint and a pair of front beams extending primarily away from each other to free ends that form the fingers. The fingers and lugs form ramps that guide the leading edge of a card being inserted. The lugs form side guides that guide the sides of a card being inserted.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Patent Application
20060059746
