JPH0728959A - Electronics - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the destruction of an IC card and a card connector, etc., by letting the connection parts of both IC card and card connector be asymmetrical to a card insertion direction, detecting erroneous insertion by the shape of the connection part and issueing an alarm. CONSTITUTION:A detection switch 12 as an erroneous insertion detection means provided inside the main body of this equipment is mounted on a printed board 2 so as to detect the erroneous insertion by the shape of the connection part 7 of the IC card 6 before the tip of the IC card 6 is brought into contact with the card connector, is normally in an OFF state and is turned ON when the IC card 6 is inserted backwards by an operator 12a pushed in by a projected line 7b. Also, a second detection switch as an erroneous alarm preventing means normally in an OFF state is provided inside the main body of the equipment. Then, when the IC card 6 is inserted backwards, since the projected line 7b is positioned at the opposite position of the operator 12a of the detection switch 12, the detection switch 12 is turned ON. Since the second detection switch is in the OFF state at the time, a buzzer rings and the alarm is issued.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device using an IC card as a recording medium, and more particularly to prevention of erroneous insertion of an IC card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various IC cards have been developed as recording media for word processors, notebook type personal computers, information collecting devices, various measuring devices, etc.
The capacity of the C card is increasing year by year, and the range of use has recently been expanded to recording media in the audio and video fields.

By the way, in an electronic device using such an IC card as a recording medium, various consideration is given to prevent erroneous insertion of the IC card. One example thereof will be described with reference to FIGS.

1 shows a voice recording / reproducing apparatus such as a dictation machine, 1 is a device body, 2 is a device 1 inside, a printed board on which a card connector 3 is mounted, 5 is an eject lever, and 6 is a device. Inserted in the main body 1 and electrically and mechanically connected to the card connector I
The connecting portion 7 of the IC card 6 is a C card, and two ridges 7a and 7b are formed on one side edge and one ridge 7c is formed on the other side edge. The left and right sides are asymmetrical with respect to the insertion direction, and the receiving portion 4 which is the connecting portion of the card connector 3 has grooves 4a to 4c formed on both sides thereof so as to face the protrusions 7a to 7c of the IC card 6, respectively. Thus, the IC card 6 has a laterally asymmetrical shape with respect to the insertion direction.

Reference numeral 8 is slidably provided in the apparatus main body 1,
An eject plate having a contact piece 8a with which the IC card 6 abuts is formed. Reference numeral 9 denotes an eject actuating lever that is swingably provided on the device body 1 about a shaft 10 as a fulcrum. The eject actuating lever 9 has long holes at both ends (see FIG. The eject lever 5 and the eject plate 8 are connected by means of stoppers 11 which form (not shown) and are inserted into the respective long holes.

With the above structure, when the IC card 6 is inserted into the device body 1 in the reverse direction, the connecting portion 7 cannot be inserted into the receiving portion 4 and erroneous insertion is prevented.

[0007]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional structure, it is necessary to notice the erroneous insertion when the connecting portion 7 of the IC card 6 hits the receiving portion 4 of the card connector 3. Often, the IC card 6 is pushed unknowingly without being noticed. In such a case, I
Not only the C card 6 itself, but also the card connector 3, the printed circuit board 2, etc. may be subjected to an unreasonable force, which may lead to the destruction of various parts, and eventually the destruction of important recorded data, which is a problem in terms of reliability. It was.

However, according to the present invention, by promptly recognizing the erroneous insertion of the IC card, the destruction of each part of the IC card, the card connector and the like can be surely prevented, the protection of the recorded data can be enhanced and the reliability can be improved. It provides excellent points.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus in which an IC card is inserted into a main body of the apparatus and connected to a card connector in the main body, and both the IC card and the card connector are connected. In an electronic device in which the connecting portion is formed in a left-right asymmetrical shape with respect to the insertion direction of the IC card, and the connection is allowed only when the IC card is correctly inserted, the IC card is provided in the device body. An erroneous insertion detecting means for detecting an erroneous insertion of the IC card depending on the shape of the connection portion and a warning means for operating in response to the detection of the erroneous insertion by the erroneous insertion detecting means are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the detection position by the erroneous insertion detection means is set to a position before the IC card connecting portion contacts the card connector.

[0011]

According to the constructions of claims 1 and 2, when the IC card is erroneously inserted, the erroneous insertion detecting means causes the warning means, for example, a buzzer to sound. As a result, the user immediately recognizes the erroneous insertion of the IC card, and the IC card is inserted correctly without being forced to push it.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 will be described in detail below. 1 to 3 are main part configuration diagrams showing different operation states of a voice recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an operation of an erroneous insertion detecting means in the apparatus. 1 to 4, parts common to those in FIGS. 5 to 7 are denoted by common reference numerals.

In this embodiment, a first detection switch 12 as an erroneous insertion detecting means is arranged in the device body 1. The first detection switch 12 is provided so that the erroneous insertion can be detected by the change in the shape of the connecting portion 7 of the IC card 6 before the tip of the IC card 6 contacts the card connector 3.
Mounted on top of the IC
When the card 6 is inserted in the opposite direction, the operating element 12a is pushed by the ridge 7b to switch to the ON state.

Further, a second detection switch 13 as an erroneous warning preventing means is arranged in the device body 1. The second detection switch 13 is mounted on the printed circuit board 2 at the rear position of the card connector 3 and is, for example, always in the OFF state and is in the ON state when pushed by the extension portion 8b extending from the eject plate 8. Switch to.

Reference numeral 14 is a buzzer mounted on the printed circuit board 2 as a warning means.
Is turned on and the second detection switch 13 is turned off only by the control means (not shown).

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. The detection operation of the erroneous insertion of the IC card 6 is performed when the IC card 6 is inserted to the position shown in FIG.
At this time, if the IC card 6 is inserted in the correct direction, as shown in FIG. 4A, the position facing the actuator 12a of the first detection switch 12 of the connection portion 7 of the IC card 6 Since there is no ridge in the actuator, the actuator 12a is not pushed in, and the first detection switch 12 is OFF.
Is in a state. Therefore, the second detection switch 13 is turned off.
Although in the state, the buzzer 14 does not ring.

On the other hand, when the IC card 6 is inserted upside down, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the protrusion 7b is located at the position opposite to the actuator 12a of the first detection switch 12. Therefore, the actuator 12a is pushed by the ridge 7a and the first detection switch 12 is switched to the ON state. At this time, since the second detection switch 13 is in the OFF state, the buzzer 14 is sounded. In this case, the user is warned of incorrect insertion.

Further, even when the IC card 6 is inserted backwards and forwards, the actuator 12a of the first detection switch 12 is pushed by the side wall of the IC card 6 to be in the ON state. A warning is given.

Therefore, the user recognizes the erroneous insertion of the IC card 6 by the warning from the buzzer 14, immediately removes the IC card 6, confirms the orientation, and inserts it in the correct orientation. Further, since the warning is issued before the IC card 6 reaches the card connector 3, the IC card 6
When it hits the card connector 3, it is avoided to press it further forcibly, and there is no concern that the IC card 6 itself, the card connector 3, and the like will be destroyed.

Next, the prevention of false alarms by the second detection switch 13 will be described. When the IC card 6 is inserted in the correct direction, the IC card 6
Is inserted, the actuator 12 of the first detection switch 12
Then, a comes out of the connecting portion 7 of the IC card 6 and is pushed in by the side wall of the IC card 6 so that the first detection switch 1
2 will be switched to the ON state, but at this time,
Since the second detection switch 13 has already been switched from the OFF state to the ON state by the following operation, the ringing of the buzzer 14, that is, the warning is prevented.

When the IC card 6 is further inserted from the position shown in FIG. 1, the IC card 6 abuts on the hitting piece 8a of the eject plate 8 and moves rearward together with the eject plate 8 so that the extension 8b thereof eventually comes out. The operator 13a is pushed in, and the second detection switch 13 is turned on. By setting the timing at which the second detection switch 13 is turned on before the actuator 12a of the first detection switch 12 is removed from the connection portion 7 of the IC card 6, the state shown in FIG. In the state immediately before leaving the connection part 7),
Since the first detection switch 12 is OFF and the second detection switch 13 is ON, the buzzer 14 does not ring when the first detection switch 12 is turned ON thereafter. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the IC card 6 is finally connected to the card connector 3.

In the present embodiment described above, the IC card 6
When the insert is inserted in either the front-reverse direction or the front-reverse direction, the user can recognize the incorrect insertion by immediately detecting the incorrect insertion and issuing a warning.
It is possible to avoid a situation in which the C card 6 is pushed into the card connector 3 without being able to connect it to the card connector 3, and destruction of each part is prevented.

In the above embodiment, the buzzer has been described as an example of the warning means, but a warning may be given by blinking a display element such as an LED. Further, the shapes of the receiving portion 4 of the card connector 3 and the connecting portion 7 of the IC card 6 are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment, and the point is that the shape is left-right asymmetrical and cannot be connected when inserted in the opposite direction. I hope

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and it is needless to say that the present invention can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, depending on the shapes of the connecting portions of both the IC card and the card connector, I
In addition to being able to reliably prevent the incorrect insertion of the C card, it can detect the incorrect insertion of the IC card and issue a warning so that the user can quickly recognize the incorrect insertion. Therefore, there is no concern that IC cards, card connectors, etc. will be subjected to an unreasonable force and destroy them, and it is possible to provide a highly protected recorded data with excellent reliability. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main configuration of an audio recording / reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention at the beginning of insertion of an IC card,
(A) is a lateral sectional view, (b) is a side sectional view

2A and 2B show a configuration of a main part of the same device during the insertion of an IC card, in which FIG. 2A is a lateral sectional view and FIG.

3A and 3B show a configuration of a main part of the same device when connection of an IC card is completed, where FIG. 3A is a lateral sectional view and FIG. 3B is a side sectional view.

4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the erroneous insertion detection means in the same apparatus, in which FIG. 4A is an insertion state in a correct orientation, and FIG.

5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of a conventional audio recording / reproducing apparatus, in which FIG. 5A is a lateral sectional view and FIG. 5B is a side sectional view.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the IC card taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of the card connector taken along the line BB in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Device Main Body 3 Card Connector 4 Receiving Section (Connecting Section) 6 IC Card 7 Connecting Section 12 First Detection Switch (Erroneous Insertion Detection Means) 12a Actuator 14 Buzzer (Warning Means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A structure in which an IC card is inserted into a device body and connected to a card connector in the device body, wherein the IC
The connecting portions of both the card and the card connector are formed in a left-right asymmetrical shape with respect to the insertion direction of the IC card.
In an electronic device configured to allow the above-mentioned connection only when the C card is correctly inserted, an erroneous insertion detecting means for detecting an erroneous insertion of the IC card due to the shape of the connection portion of the IC card in the device body. An electronic device comprising: a warning unit that operates in response to detection of an incorrect insertion by the incorrect insertion detection unit. 2. The position detected by the erroneous insertion detection means is
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion of the IC card is set to a position before contacting the card connector.