Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH DETACHABLE CARD UNIT
The present invention relates to an electronic device
having a detachable card unit such as an IC memory card unit,
and more particularly to an electronic device having a
detachable card unit for connection to various systems such
as a computer or the like.
~ igure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a
conventional electronic device 200 having a main unit 201
with an integral card unit 202 that can be inserted into a
card slot 102 defined in a casing 101 of a small-size
information terminal 100 which is typically a personal
computer. The card unit 202 is constructed according to
substantially the same standards as those of general IC
cards. If the electronic device 200 is designed as a radio
modem for use with the information terminal 100, then when
the card unit 202 is inserted into the card slot 102 for
connection to the information terminal 100, data can be
transmitted from and received by the information terminal 100
through the radio modem.
The card unit 202, which is integral with the main
unit 201, has a female interface connector 203 on its distal
end which can be inserted into the card slot 102 of the
small-size information terminal 100. The casing 101 of the
small-size information terminal 100 has a male interface
connector 103 disposed in the card slot 102 for connection to
the female interface connector 203 of the card unit 202.
When the card unit 202 is inserted into the card slot 102,
the male interface connector 103 is fitted into the female
interface connector 203 and electrically connected thereto.
The card unit 202 and the female interface connector 203 are
constructed according to the PCMCIA standard.
With the conventional electronic device 200, the card
unit 202 and the main unit 201 are integrally fixed to each
other. The conventional electronic device 200 is designed
such that, in normal use, the card unit 202 is inserted into
the card slot 102 of the small-size information terminal 100
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in the direction shown in Figure 1.
Another small-size information terminal 100 shown in
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings has a male interface
connector 103 turned upside-down, i.e., oriented in the
5 direction opposite to the male interface connector 103 shown
in Figure 1, so that the card unit 202 has to be vertically
inverted, i.e., turned upside-down, in order to be inserted
into the card slot 102, as shown in Figure 2. When the card
unit 202 is inserted into the card slot 102 as shown in
10 Figure 2, the main unit 201 projects downwardly beyond the
bottom of the small-size information terminal 100, making the
small-size information terminal 100 unstable and inconvenient
to use if it is placed on a flat surface such as a desk
surface.
If the small-size information terminal 100 and the
electronic device 200 are combined with each other and used
as shown in Figure 2, then an undue load tends to be applied
to the joint between the card unit 202 and the main unit 201.
As a result, the electronic device 200 is highly likely to be
20 broken or otherwise damaged.
To solve the above problems, there have been proposed
certain electronic devices, as disclosed in United States
Patent No. 5,373,149.
The electronic devices disclosed in the above document
25 have a casing which houses an electronic circuit and is
pivoted to an end of a card unit by a hinge mechanism. Since
the casing can be angularly moved with respect to the card
unit depending on the direction in which the card unit is
inserted into a card slot, the electronic device can always
30 be held in a stable attitude when the card unit is inserted
into the card slot, and is thus protected against damage.
While the disclosed arrangements are effective to
eliminate the above drawbacks, the hinge mechanism renders
the electronic device large in size and hence makes it
35 inappropriate for use with a small-size information device.
Consequently, there has been a demand for an electronic
device with a smaller joint mechanism between a main unit and
a card unit.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an electronic device with a detachable card unit,
which can be held in a stable attitude when the card unit is
inserted into a card slot in an external device such as a
small-size information device, irrespective of whether the
card unit is turned upside-down or not upon insertion into
the card slot. The electronic device and the external device
can then conveniently be used while being protected against
damage.
According to the present invention, there is provided
an electronic device comprising a main unit and a card unit
for insertion into an external device for electric connection
thereto. The card unit is separate from the main unit and is
detachably attached to the main unit. The card unit is
connectable to the main unit in the same electric connection
pattern irrespective of whether the card unit is turned
upside-down.
The electronic device further comprises connector
means on the card unit and the main unit for connecting the
card unit to the main unit in the same electric connection
pattern irrespective of whether the card unit is turned
upside-down with respect to the main unit.
The connector means comprises a first connector
mounted on the card unit and a second connector mounted on
the main unit for interfitting engagement with the first
connector. Each of the first connector and the second
connector has a plurality of electrodes arranged in point
symmetry with respect to a center thereof, the electrodes of
the second connector being electrically connected to leads
arranged in a pattern of point symmetry with respect to the
center.
The card unit is constructed according to
substantially the same st~n~rds as those of IC cards, the
card unit having a first interface and being insertable into
a card slot having a second interface electrically
connectable to the first interface.
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The main unit is arranged so as to be positioned
higher than a bottom of the external device on a side of the
external device when the card unit is inserted into the
external device.
Even if the external device receives the card unit
inserted in an upside-down orientation, the electronic device
can be electrically connected to the external device without
the main unit being turned upside-down. The electronic
device thus joined to the external device can be used
conveniently.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages
of the present invention will become apparent from the
following description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred
embodiment of the present invention by way of example.
Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially
sectioned, of an external device and a conventional
electronic device, the electronic device having an integral
card unit;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partially
sectioned, of the conventional equipment shown in Figure 1,
but illustrative of drawbacks of that equipment;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partially
sectioned, of an electronic device having a detachable card
unit according to the present invention, and of a small-size
information terminal for use with the electronic device:
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the
electronic device shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5(a) is an enlarged front elevational view of
a plug connector of the card unit of the electronic device
shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5(b) is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken along line 5(b) - 5(b) of Figure 5(a);
Figure 6(a) is an enlarged front elevational view of
a socket connector of a main unit of the electronic device
shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6(b) iS an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional
view taken along line 6(b) - 6(b) of Figure 6(a);
Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational
view, partially sectioned, of the plug connector of Figure
5(b) and the socket connector of Figure 6(b), shown connected
to each other;
Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partially
sectioned, of the electronic device according to the present
invention, and a small-size information terminal to which the
device is connected; and
10Figures 9(a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing
different lead patterns of the plug connector and the socket
connector.
As shown in Figure 3, a small-size information
terminal 100 such as a personal computer or the like has a
15casing 101 with a horizontal card slot 102 defined therein
for insertion of an IC card therein. The casing 101 also has
a male interface connector 103 positioned at the inner bottom
of the card slot 102. An electronic device 200 according to
the present invention, which may typically be a radio modem
20for connection to the small-size information terminal 100,
has a main unit 201 and a card unit 202 which is constructed
according to substantially the same standards as those of
general IC cards. The card unit 202, which houses a suitable
internal circuit, is mechanically and electrically connected
25at a proximal end 202a thereof to the main unit 201, which
houses a suitable internal circuit. The card unit 202 has a
distal end 202b which can be inserted into the card slot 102
of the small-size information terminal 100 for electric
connection to the male interface connector 103 thereof.
30Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective of the
electronic device 200 according to the present invention.
The card unit 202 has a female interface connector 203 on its
distal end 202b for being fitted over and electrically
connected to the male interface connector 103 of the small-
35size information terminal 100. The card unit 202 also has a
plug connector 204 on its proximal end 202a.
As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the plug connect~r
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204 comprises a horizontally-elongated projecting rectangular
frame 205 and a pair of vertically-spaced, upper and lower
arrays of female electrodes 206 mounted respectively on upper
and lower inner surfaces of the rectangular frame 205.
As shown in Figure 4, the main unit 201 comprises a
casing 207 having a horizontally-elongated rectangular slot
208 defined in a side wall of the casing 207. The main unit
201 has a socket connector 209 disposed in the slot 208.
The socket connector 209 serves to receive the plug
connector 204 on the proximal end 202a of the card unit 202.
As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the socket connector 209
comprises a horizontally-elongated joint 210 projecting into
the slot 208 for insertion into the rectangular frame 205,
and a pair of vertically-spaced, upper and lower arrays of
male electrodes 211 mounted respectively on upper and lower
outer surfaces of the joint 210. The male electrodes 211 of
the socket connector 209 are positioned for alignment with
the respective female electrodes 206 of the plug connector
204. Therefore, when the proximal end 202a of the card unit
202 is inserted into the slot 208 of the main unit 201, the
female and male electrodes 206, 211 are brought into contact
with each other and electrically connected to each other.
The female electrodes 206 are arranged in point symmetry with
respect to a central point in the rectangular frame 205, and
the male electrodes 211 are also arranged in point symmetry
with respect to a central point on the joint 210. Leads
electrically connected in the socket connector 209 to the
respective male electrodes 211 are arranged in a pattern of
point symmetry, as described later on.
The card unit 202 and the main unit 201 can be
mechanically and electrically joined to each other when the
plug connector 204 on the proximal end 202a of the card unit
202 is fitted into the socket connector 209 in the slot 208
of the main unit 201.
Figure 7 shows in cross-section the plug connector 204
and the socket connector 209 connected to each other. When
the plug connector 204 is inserted into the socket connector
209, the rectangular frame 205 is fitted into the slot 208,
and the joint 210 is fitted into the rectangular frame 205,
thereby mechanically coupling the card unit 202 and the main
unit 201 to each other. At this time, since the female
electrodes 206 of the card unit 202 and the male electrodes
211 of the main unit 201 are held in contact with each other,
the female and male electrodes 206, 211 are electrically
connected to each other.
Then, as shown in Figure 8, the distal end 202b of the
card unit 202 is inserted into the card slot 102 of the
small-size information terminal 100. The female interface
connector 203 of the card unit 202 is now connected to the
male interface connector 103 of the small-size information
terminal 100, whereupon the small-size information terminal
100 and the electronic device 200 are mechanically and
electrically connected to each other. In this embodiment,
for example, the radio modem may be attached, and hence
electrically connected, to the personal computer.
If the male interface connector 103 is designed in an
upside-down or vertically inverted configuration, then when
the electronic device 200 is to be connected to the small-
size information terminal 100, it is necessary to turn the
card unit 202 upside-down, i.e., vertically invert the card
unit 202. To this end, the card 202 is first detached from
the main unit 201 by pulling the plug connector 204 out of
connection with the socket connector 209. Then, the card
unit 202 is turned upside-down, and the plug connector 204 is
fitted into the socket connector 209. Therefore, the card
unit 202 that has been turned upside-down is connected to the
main unit 201.
When the plug connector 204 is inserted in the socket
connector 209 with the card unit 202 upside-down, the female
and male electrodes 206, 211 are reliably electrically
connected to each other because the female and male
electrodes 206, 211 are arranged in point symmetry with
respect to respective central points of the connectors 204,
209. Furthermore, since the leads connected in the socket
connector 209 to the respective male electrodes 211 are
arranged in a pattern of point symmetry, the female and male
electrodes 206, 211 are electrically connected to each other
in the same electrical connection pattern even when the card
unit 202 is turned upside-down.
Specific patterns of point symmetry for leads
electrically connected to the respective male electrodes 211
will be described below.
According to one pattern, only those ones of the
female electrodes 206 which are positioned on the right-hand
side of the center (as shown in Figure 5(a)) of the plug
connector 204 are used as active female electrodes, and leads
in the socket connector 209 are connected in a pattern of
point symmetry to those of the male electrodes 211 which are
positioned on the right- and left-hand sides of the center in
their upper and lower arrays, as shown in Figure 9(a).
Therefore, even when the card unit 202 is turned upside-down,
the active female electrodes 206 are electrically connected
to the same leads in the socket connector 209.
According to another pattern, only those of the female
electrodes 206 of the upper array (as shown in Figure 5(a))
of the plug connector 204 are used as active female
electrodes, and leads in the socket connector 209 are
connected in a pattern of point symmetry to the male
electrodes 211 of the upper and lower arrays, as shown in
Figure 9(b). Therefore, even when the card unit 202 is
turned upside-down, the active female electrodes 206 are
electrically connected to the same leads in the socket
connector 209.
After the card unit 202 has been turned upside-down
and has been connected to the main unit 201, the card unit
202 is inserted into the card slot 102 of the small-size
information terminal 100 on a side thereof until the male and
female interface connectors 103, 203 are connected to each
other. Since the main unit 201 is now connected upside-down
relatively to the card unit 202, the main unit 201 is
oriented as indicated by the solid lines in Figure 8 with
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respect to the small-size information terminal 100.
Consequently, the main unit 201 does not project downwardly
beyond the bottom of the small-size information terminal 100,
as indicated by the two-dot-and-dash lines in Figure 8. The
small-size information terminal 100 with the electronic
device 200 connected thereto can thus be placed stably on a
flat surface. Therefore, the electronic device 200 can be
used conveniently and with versatility with respect to the
small-size information terminal 100.
Because the card unit 202 is detachable from the main
unit 201, the same card unit 202 may be combined with another
main unit which has a different internal circuit, or the same
main unit 201 may be combined with another card unit 202
which has a different internal circuit, providing an
electronic device 200 of different specifications.
Consequently, electronic devices 200 of different
specifications can easily be produced at a low cost.
While the electronic device 200 may typically be a
radio modem for use with a personal computer, for example,
the electronic device 200 may also be an external memory, an
interface unit, or any of various other devices which has a
card unit for insertion into a small-size information
terminal for electrical connection thereto.
According to the present invention, as described
above, the electronic device 200 is composed of the main unit
201 and the card unit 202 which are separate from each other
and detachably connected to each other, the card unit 202
being insertable into an external device. The card unit 202
can be electrically connected in the same lead pattern to the
main unit 201 even when the card unit 202 is turned upside-
down and then connected to the main unit 201. Even if the
external device receives the card unit 202 inserted in an
upside-down orientation, the electronic device 200 can be
connected to the external device without the main unit 201
projecting downwardly from the bottom of the external device,
i.e., with the main unit 201 positioned higher than the
bottom of the external device. The electronic device 200 is
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simple in structure, can be used conveniently, and is
versatile in its use.
Since the card unit 202 and the main unit 201 are
detachable from each other through the plug and socket
connectors 204, 209, the card unit 202 may be combined with
a main unit having a different internal circuit, or the main
unit 201 may be combined with a card unit having a different
internal circuit, providing electronic devices 200 of various
different specifications at a low cost.
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