JP2004287942A - Ic card case and portable communication appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily insert/extract an IC card into/from a portable communication appliance without causing a stain or a break to the IC card. <P>SOLUTION: In this IC card case 10 incorporating the IC card 1 such as a USIM card, the inner face of a lid 11 is provided with a first rack 14. A pinion 15 meshes with the first rack 14, while a second rack 17 provided in a push-out member 16 having an abutment part 18 abutting on the IC card 1 meshes with the pinion 15. By sliding the lid 11 by a user, the push-out member 16 moves oppositely to a slide direction of the lid 11, and the IC card 1 is pushed out of the case 10. On the portable communication appliance side, when detecting that a part of the IC card 1 is inserted in an IC card slot, a roller carries the IC card 1 into the portable communication appliance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an IC card case in which an IC card such as a SIM card or a USIM card can be stored, and a portable communication device such as a mobile phone in which the IC card can be mounted.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In a GSM mobile phone, which is a European standard for digital mobile phones, a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card is used for subscriber identification. In the third-generation mobile phone system (W-CDMA system), various mobile phones can be used by replacing a USIM (Universal Subscriber Identity Module) card.
Such an IC card such as a SIM card or a USIM card has a problem that it is thin and easy to bend, and that if the IC contact becomes dirty, it cannot be used.
Therefore, in a mobile phone using such an IC card, there has been proposed a mobile phone which can easily attach / detach the IC card and can prevent the IC card from being damaged at the time of attaching / detaching (Patent Document). 1).
[0003]
In Patent Document 1, (1) a concave housing having an opening formed therein, the terminal having a terminal terminal which is incorporated from a side surface of a telephone rear case and electrically connects an IC card to a telephone circuit board, and an opening of the housing. The IC card has a handle portion provided with a locking / releasing means to the housing at the time of insertion / removal and a fitting concave portion of the IC card, and a card holder having a substantially similar shape to the IC card. A mobile phone, and (2) a plate-like card connector having a terminal terminal for electrically connecting an IC card to a telephone circuit board, between the telephone circuit board and the telephone rear case, The IC card was placed through the opening on the terminal terminal of the rear case of the telephone, with the IC card being sandwiched in a state of looking through an opening provided on the battery mounting surface. , Cellular phone has been proposed which is a structure for fixing the IC card by mating the battery.
Here, in the mobile phone of (1), when the IC card is mounted, the IC card is fitted into the fitting concave portion of the card holder, and then the card holder is inserted through the opening of the housing with the handle. When the locking / release means is locked to the housing and removed, the locking / release means is released from the housing by operating the handle, and then the card holder is removed.
In the mobile phone of (2), after placing the IC card on the terminal terminal of the rear case of the telephone through the opening of the rear case of the telephone, the IC card is fixed by fitting a battery, The IC card can be removed by removing the battery.
As a result, the overall size can be reduced, and the attachment and detachment of the IC card can be facilitated, and the IC card can be prevented from being damaged at the time of attachment and detachment.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-266293
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, there is a problem that an IC card such as a USIM card is thin and easily bent, and furthermore, if the IC contact is soiled, it cannot be used. In addition, the 3G mobile phone has a part where the USIM card is set at the bottom of the battery. When inserting and removing the USIM card, the USIM card is picked up with your fingers and used, so there is a risk of soiling with fingers, damage due to incorrect insertion, accidental dropping, etc. is there.
Further, according to the mobile phone proposed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to prevent damage due to incorrect insertion of an IC card, and inadvertent dropping of the IC card.
However, in the above-described configuration, when the IC card is attached or detached, the IC card is directly touched by hand, which may cause the IC card contacts to become dirty.
[0006]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an IC card case and a portable communication device which can prevent the IC card from being stained and can be easily inserted into and removed from the portable communication device.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an IC card case of the present invention is an IC card case for storing an IC card, which meshes with a lid member provided with a first rack therein and the first rack. A pusher having a pinion and a second rack meshing with the pinion and having an abutting portion for abutting on the IC card, and sliding the lid member to push out the IC card. It is configured to be able to do so.
[0008]
Further, the portable communication device of the present invention is a portable communication device to which an IC card can be attached, wherein an IC card slot provided on a side surface of a housing thereof, and an IC card slot provided inside the IC card slot, An IC card connector connected to a contact point of the IC card, a sensor for detecting the position of the IC card, a conveying means for conveying the IC card, and a part of the IC card inserted into the IC card slot by the sensor. When it is detected that the IC card is transported to a predetermined position by the transport means and the IC card is removed, the transport means is driven in the reverse direction to eject the IC card from the IC card slot. And a control unit for performing control.
Further, the IC card connector can be moved up and down freely, lowered when the IC card is being conveyed, and raised when the IC card is installed at a predetermined position, so that the IC card can be moved up and down. It is designed to be connected to a contact.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The present invention is not limited to a SIM card or a USIM card, but can be applied to a thin and easily bendable card with a built-in IC chip. Hereinafter, a case where a USIM card is inserted into and removed from a mobile phone will be described as an example.
1A and 1B are views showing a state in which a USIM card is inserted in an IC card case of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a top view, FIG. 1B is a front view, and FIG. 1C is a side view.
In this figure, 1 is a USIM card (IC card), 2 is a contact portion of the IC card, and 10 is an IC card case. Reference numeral 3 denotes a card push-out unit for pushing the IC card 1 out of the card case 10. The card push-out unit 3 pushes the IC card 1 out of the front 4 of the card case 10 and inserts it into a mobile phone (not shown). can do. Conversely, the IC card 1 extruded from the mobile phone of the present invention described later can be taken into the card case 10. As described above, in the present invention, the IC card 1 is placed in the IC card case 10, and the card pushing unit 3 allows the user to attach the IC card 1 to the mobile phone without directly touching the IC card 1, The IC card 1 removed from the mobile phone 1 can be stored in the IC card case 10.
[0010]
One embodiment of such an IC card case 10 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the IC card case 10 of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a cover 11 of the IC card case 10 of the present invention and the cover 11 via a hinge 13. FIG. 4C shows only the side member 12 connected to the IC card case 10 from the inside, and FIG. 4C shows the inside of the IC card case 10 shown in FIG. 4A from above with the lid 11 and the side member 12 removed. FIG. (D) is a diagram for explaining an operation when the IC card 1 built in the IC card case 10 shown in (a) is pushed out.
The IC card case 10 shown in FIG. 2 has a lid 11 on the upper surface, and the lid 11 is connected via a hinge 13 to a side member 12 on which the IC card 1 is pushed out. A first rack 14 is provided below the lid 11 (on the inner side of the case). The first rack 14 is engaged with a pinion 15, and the pinion 15 is provided on an extruding member 16 having a contact portion 18 that comes into contact with the IC card 1 when the IC card 1 is pushed out. 17 is engaged. The IC card 1 is indicated by two rails 19 provided on the left and right sides thereof.
[0011]
In the IC card case 10 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 2D, the user shifts the lid 11 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the IC card is pushed out (rightward in the figure). Thereby, the side member 12 is also moved by the rightward movement of the lid 11, and the surface (the left side surface in the figure) of the IC card case 10 from which the IC card 1 is pushed out is released. Further, when the first rack 14 moves rightward in the drawing, the pinion 15 rotates, and the pushing member 16 provided with the second rack 17 moves leftward in the drawing. Can be As a result, the contact portion 18 pushes the IC card 1 to the left in the drawing.
Thus, according to the IC card case 10 of the present invention, the user can push the IC card 1 out of the IC card case 10 without directly touching the IC card 1.
[0012]
3A and 3B are views showing an example of a mobile phone on which the IC card 1 is mounted. FIG. 3A is a diagram showing the appearance of the mobile phone, and FIG. 3B is a view showing the appearance of the mobile phone. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a case 10 is applied. The mobile phone (portable communication device) 20 shown in this figure has an IC card slot 21 for taking in the IC card 1 provided on a side surface thereof, and an IC card connector provided therein. Reference numeral 22 denotes a lid member that covers the IC card slot 21. When released, the lid member 22 serves as a case stopper for holding the IC card case 10 at a predetermined angle with respect to the IC card slot 21, as shown in the figure. It has been done.
[0013]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an internal configuration of the IC card slot 21 in the portable communication device 20.
As shown in this figure, an IC card connector 23 that is in electrical contact with the contact 2 of the IC card 1 is driven by a motor (not shown) inside the IC card slot 21 to hold the IC card 1. A plurality of pairs of rollers 24 to be moved, a first sensor 25 and a second sensor 26 for detecting the position of the IC card 1 are provided. Here, the first sensor 25 is disposed near the IC card slot 21 and detects that the leading end of the IC card is at a position where it is gripped by the roller 24 near the IC card slot. is there. Further, the second sensor 26 is configured to detect that the position of the contact 2 of the IC card 1 is in a position corresponding to the contact of the IC card connector 23 so that the IC card connector 23 can be detected. It is arranged at a predetermined position behind. The sensors 25 and 26 need only have a function of detecting the position of the IC card 1, and an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, or the like can be used. For example, each of the sensors 25 and 26 is composed of two optical sensors arranged along the moving direction of the IC card 1.
Also, in this figure, a state in which five pairs of rollers 24 are arranged around the IC card connector 23 is shown, but this number can be set arbitrarily. In this embodiment, five pairs of rollers are provided to transport the IC card 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other transporting units may be employed.
Further, the IC card connector 23 can be moved up and down by a motor, a solenoid, or the like. When the IC card 1 is being conveyed, it is lowered, and when the IC card 1 is set at a predetermined position. It is desirable that the contact is raised to come into contact with the contact 2 of the IC card 1.
[0014]
The operation of inserting and removing the IC card 1 built in the IC card case 10 into and from the portable communication device will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A is a top view showing an operation when the IC card 1 is inserted into the portable communication device 20 when viewed from above, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing a state when viewed from the side. The operation described here is performed under the control of a control unit including a microcomputer built in the mobile phone and controlling the entire mobile phone.
When the IC card 1 is inserted into the portable communication device 20, a command to perform the insertion operation of the IC card 1 is input on the portable communication device 20 using a key operation unit or the like. As a result, the IC card connector 23 is lowered. Then, as shown in FIG. 2D, the lid 11 of the IC card case 10 is slid in a direction opposite to the direction in which the IC card slot 21 is provided, and as shown in FIG. Then, the side of the IC card case 10 in which the IC card 1 is built is applied to the IC card slot 21 of the portable communication device 20. At this time, the positioning is performed by the lid member 22. As a result, as described above, the IC card 1 is pushed out of the IC card case 10, and its leading end enters the inside of the portable communication device 20 from the IC card slot 21.
[0015]
When the tip of the IC card 1 reaches a position (A in FIG. 5A) that is gripped by the roller 24 disposed closest to the IC card slot 21, the first sensor 25 detects the position. Is detected, a motor (not shown) is driven, and the plurality of sets of rollers 24 are rotated in such a direction as to pull the IC card 1 into the portable communication device 20. Thereafter, the rotation of the roller 24 causes the IC card 1 to be automatically drawn into the mobile communication device 20. When the second sensor 26 detects that the leading end of the IC card 1 has reached a predetermined position (the position B in FIG. 5A), the detection signal indicates that the motor is stopped. Is done. Thereby, the IC card 1 could be taken into a predetermined position corresponding to the IC card connector 23. Then, the IC card connector 23 is raised to make contact with the contact portion 2 of the IC card 1.
[0016]
On the other hand, when removing the IC card 1, the IC card case 10 accommodating the removed IC card 1 is applied to the IC card slot 21 to instruct the removal of the IC card 1 from the key input unit of the portable communication device 20. Enter a command. At this time, the lid 11 of the IC card case 10 is slid. As a result, a motor (not shown) is driven, the IC card connector 23 is lowered, and the plurality of pairs of rollers 24 are rotated in a direction opposite to that when the IC card is inserted. Thereby, the IC card 10 is gradually sent out from the IC card slot 21 and inserted into the IC card case 10 from the rear end. When the first sensor 25 detects that the leading end of the IC card 1 has reached the vicinity of the IC card slot 21, the number of revolutions of the roller 24 is increased, and the IC card 1 is strongly ejected. . As a result, the IC card 1 enters the IC card case 10, and the user removes the IC card case 10 and slides the lid 11 in the opposite direction as described above with the side member 12 facing upward. Thus, the IC card 1 is stored at a predetermined position in the IC card case 10 by the weight of the IC card 1. Thus, the IC card 1 can be stored in the IC card case 10 without touching the IC card 1 with a hand.
[0017]
In the above description, a mobile phone has been described as an example of a mobile communication device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same applies to a device on which a SIM card, a USIM card, or the like can be mounted. Can be applied to
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the card case of the present invention, it is possible to prevent a malfunction due to the soiling or breakage of the USIM card, and to simplify the insertion / removal operation.
Further, since the IC card can be stored in a state of being stored in the card case, loss and dirt of the IC card can be prevented.
Further, since the IC card connector is lowered when the IC card is transported, the IC card is not damaged during the transport of the IC card.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an IC card case of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of an IC card case of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram for describing an embodiment of the portable communication device of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an IC card connector part built in the portable communication device of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an operation when an IC card is inserted into the portable communication device of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: IC card (USIM card), 2: IC card contact, 3: card push-out section, 10: IC card case, 11: lid, 12: side member, 13: hinge, 14: first rack, 15: pinion , 16: extrusion member, 17: second rack, 18: contact portion, 19: rail, 20: portable communication device, 21: IC card slot, 22: lid member of IC card slot, 23: connector for IC card , 24: Roller, 25, 26: Sensor

Claims (3)

An IC card case for storing an IC card,
A lid member having a first rack provided therein;
A pinion that meshes with the first rack;
An extruding member having a second rack engaged with the pinion, and having an abutting portion abutting on the IC card;
An IC card case characterized in that the IC card can be pushed out by sliding the lid member. A portable communication device to which an IC card can be attached,
An IC card slot provided on the side of the housing;
An IC card connector provided inside the IC card slot and connected to a contact of the IC card;
A sensor for detecting a position of the IC card;
Conveying means for conveying the IC card;
When the sensor detects that a part of the IC card has been inserted into the IC card slot, the transport means transports the IC card to a predetermined position, and when the IC card is removed, reverses the transport means. And a control unit for driving the IC card to eject the IC card from the IC card slot. The IC card connector is movable up and down, and is lowered when the IC card is being conveyed. 3. The mobile communication device according to claim 2, wherein the mobile communication device is connected.

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