Connector with sliding electrical contacts
The conductive element design in smart card reader connectors addresses wear and security issues by using a transverse face for electrical contact, improving durability and integrity while reducing manufacturing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BANKS & ACQUIRERS INT HLDG SAS
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-25
AI Technical Summary
Existing smart card reader connectors with friction electrical contacts are prone to wear, vandalism, and mechanical disturbances due to their design, which compromises their functionality and security.
A conductive element with a first part inside the housing and a second part that forms the electrical contact area on its transverse face, allowing the element to move between positions to accommodate smart cards or batteries, reducing wear and enhancing security by obstructing the housing opening and preventing unauthorized access.
The solution increases the lifespan of the connector, reduces manufacturing costs, and enhances security by minimizing wear and vulnerability to mechanical disturbances.
Smart Images
Figure EP2025087196_25062026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] DESCRIPTION
[0002] TITLE: Friction electrical contact connector
[0003] technical field
[0004] The present invention, which belongs to the field of electronic devices, and in particular to the field of electronic devices equipped with smart card readers, relates more specifically to a new type of connector with electrical friction contacts which can in particular be implemented in a smart card reader.
[0005] State of the art
[0006] Connectors with friction electrical contacts are used in particular in electronic devices with smart card readers, such as electronic payment terminals with bank card readers, or communication devices with SIM card readers (SIM stands for "Subscriber Identification Module").
[0007] Whether for enabling secure payments or identification operations, smart card readers of this type of electronic device generally include a slot into which the smart card must be inserted by sliding.
[0008] Once correctly inserted into the slot, the smart card is positioned so that its electronic chip is in contact with one (at least) electrically conductive element belonging to the smart card reader connector, such electrical contact enabling in this context a transmission of data between the smart card and the smart card reader.
[0009] Just as its insertion into the smart card reader slot is, the removal of the smart card is also done by sliding, and it is therefore imperative that the conductive element of the smart card reader connector has a shape and characteristics that allow both the insertion and removal of the smart card by sliding within the reader.
[0010] Thus, the conductive element is arranged in particular so as to be mobile between a first position when no smart card is inserted into the smart card slot, and a second position, distinct from the first position, when a smart card is actually inserted into the smart card slot.
[0011] In addition, the conductive element has a spring effect allowing it to automatically return to the first position, corresponding to a rest position, when a smart card initially inserted is removed from the smart card slot.
[0012] Finally, the conductive element notably has at least one, and usually two sliding slopes configured to facilitate the passage of the smart card within the housing during insertion and removal operations.
[0013] Such a mobile conductive element with a spring effect is usually formed from a sheet of metal machined to obtain a more or less thin metal blade, which is then shaped into a particular form, generally a V-shaped profile obtained so that the two branches of the V allow the required spring effect.
[0014] The electrical contact area of such a spring-effect mobile conductive element, i.e. the support area offered to the smart card chip when the latter is inserted into the housing, corresponds to the junction area of the branches of the V, the latter extending further within a protective housing.
[0015] Such an electrical contact zone, whether linear or point-based, is necessarily obtained by a stamping process that is as complex as it is time-consuming.
[0016] Moreover, such a contact area is located on one of the two main faces of the metal blade forming the moving conductive element, which means that the wear of the connector depends directly on the thickness of the metal blade, which is usually small.
[0017] In addition, the V-shaped profile of the moving conductive element also has the disadvantage of making it subject to deformations, which can, for example, be caused by a malicious person inserting a hook between the arms of the V in order to reverse the electrical contact area of the conductive element and thus render the smart card reader connector defective.
[0018] Finally, the electrical contact area, i.e. the junction area of the branches of the V, is necessarily located outside the protective housing, particularly when the moving conductive element is in its rest position, which means that the protective housing necessarily includes an opening arranged to allow passage through a part of the spring-effect moving conductive element.
[0019] However, the V-shaped conductive element makes the opening of the protective housing easily accessible and prone to the introduction of dust or unwanted elements inside the housing and / or between the two arms of the V, i.e. in the travel area of the spring-effect mobile conductive element, which can disrupt the mechanism and in particular the mobility of the mobile conductive element and therefore prevent proper operation of the smart card reader connector or even cause a failure of the latter.
[0020] Existing solutions are therefore unsatisfactory because they provide smart card readers and therefore electronic devices that are easily vandalized and subject to rapid wear and / or malfunctions caused, for example, by pollution that disrupts or prevents electrical contact between the smart card and the smart card reader.
[0021] Summary of the invention
[0022] The present application aims to remedy all or some of the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the invention aims to provide a wear-resistant connector that is relatively insensitive to mechanical disturbances and impervious to intentional or unintentional damage.
[0023] To this end, the present invention relates to an electronic terminal to which an electronic device can be connected, the electronic terminal comprising a housing having a housing opening and a connector equipped with a conductive element, the conductive element comprising:
[0024] -A first part of a conductive element disposed inside the housing and having a length of first part of conductive element, a width of first part of conductive element less than the length of first part of conductive element and a thickness of first part of conductive element less than the length of first part of conductive element and less than the width of first part of conductive element, the length of first part of conductive element and the thickness of first part of conductive element defining a lateral face of first part of conductive element included in a lateral face plane of first part of conductive element;
[0025] -A second part of a conductive element having a principal face of the second part of the conductive element included in a principal face plane of the second part of the conductive element parallel to the lateral face plane of the first part of the conductive element, and a transverse face of the second part of the conductive element, at least a portion of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element being intended to form an electrical contact zone,
[0026] The conducting element being mobile between:
[0027] -A first position of conductive element in which the main face of the second part of the conductive element is at least partly disposed through the housing opening so that the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element is at least partly disposed outside the housing;
[0028] -A second conductive element position occupied when a stress is exerted on the conductive element, the conductive element being configured to return to the first conductive element position when said stress is not exerted on the conductive element.
[0029] According to the invention, all or part of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element serves as the electrical contact area for the connector of a third-party electronic device. In other words, the electrical contacts with an external connector are made on the edge, i.e., the transverse face, of the conductive element.
[0030] This arrangement is advantageous in that it increases the lifespan of the moving conductive element, and therefore that of the connector, by decoupling the wear caused by repeated electrical contacts from the thickness of the moving conductive element.
[0031] Indeed, in the electronic terminal of the invention, the electrical contacts are therefore not made, as was the case in the connectors of known terminals, on the main face of the conductive element, which unfortunately caused rapid wear of the conductive element, the latter generally having a reduced thickness which can be quickly "eaten away" by repeated electrical contacts on its main face.
[0032] Thanks to these provisions, it is possible to consider producing connectors with thinner conductive elements than those used in the prior art, without any particular impact on their lifespan. This offers material savings and reduces manufacturing costs.
[0033] According to the provisions of the invention, in particular when the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the main face of the second part of the conductive element fully occupies a space located at the opening of the housing and included between said opening of the housing and the part of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element located outside the housing.
[0034] Therefore, there is no free space between the housing opening and the part of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element located outside the housing.
[0035] Thanks to these provisions, the integrity and security of the electronic terminal connector are enhanced, since it is now impossible to hook or reverse the connector's conductive element. In one scenario, the main face plane of the second part of the conductive element coincides with the lateral face plane of the first part of the conductive element.
[0036] According to one possibility, the said constraint is an external constraint, that is to say a constraint whose origin is external to the electronic terminal.
[0037] According to one possibility, the said constraint is a constraint exerted by an electronic device hosted on the reception area.
[0038] Thus, when an electronic device is connected to the electronic terminal, the conductive element occupies the second conductive element position.
[0039] When no stress is exerted on the conductive element, and therefore in particular when no electronic device is connected to the electronic terminal, the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, also referred to as the rest position or natural position of the conductive element.
[0040] When an external stress is exerted on the conductive element, for example when a part of an electronic device presses against the portion of the cross face of the second part of the conductive element intended to form an electrical contact area, the conductive element moves from the first conductive element position to the second conductive element position.
[0041] According to one possibility, the case is a protective case designed to protect at least some of the constituent elements of the electronic terminal.
[0042] According to one possibility, the casing is made of at least one electrically insulating material.
[0043] According to one possibility, the connector includes an additional conductive element identical to the conductive element, and the housing includes an additional housing opening identical to the housing opening and arranged to permit the passage of at least a portion of the additional conductive element.
[0044] According to one possibility, the connector includes at least two conductive elements, and the housing includes at least two housing openings.
[0045] In one possibility, the at least two conductive elements are identical to each other. Similarly, the at least two housing openings are identical to each other and respectively arranged to allow the passage of at least a portion of one of the at least two conductive elements. In one possibility, the conductive element is at least partially metallic, that is, it comprises at least one metal.
[0046] According to one possibility, the conductive element includes a metal blade.
[0047] According to one possibility, the conductive element is formed from a sheet of metal.
[0048] According to one embodiment, the conducting element comprises a first metal, and a second metal covering at least part of the second part of the conducting element.
[0049] According to one possibility, the first metal includes one of the following: copper, aluminum, iron.
[0050] One possibility is that the second metal includes gold.
[0051] According to one possibility, the conducting element mainly comprises the first metal.
[0052] According to one possibility, the second metal only covers the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element.
[0053] According to an advantageous possibility, the second metal only covers the portion of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element intended to form an electrical contact zone.
[0054] Thanks to these provisions, the manufacturing cost of the connector, and therefore a fortiori that of the electronic terminal, is advantageously reduced.
[0055] According to one possibility, the lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element is parallel to a longitudinal section plane of the first part of the conducting element.
[0056] According to one possibility, the first part of the conducting element has an additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element parallel and opposite to the lateral face of the first part of the conducting element.
[0057] According to this possibility, the additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element is included in a plane of the additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element parallel to the plane of the lateral face of the first part of the conducting element.
[0058] In one possibility, the distance between the additional lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element and the lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element corresponds to the width of the conducting element. In another possibility, the length and width of the first part of the conducting element define a principal face of the first part of the conducting element that lies within a principal face plane of the first part of the conducting element.
[0059] According to one possibility, the first part of the conducting element has an additional principal face of the first part of the conducting element parallel and opposite to the principal face of the first part of the conducting element.
[0060] According to this possibility, the additional principal face of the first part of the conducting element is included in a plane of the additional principal face of the first part of the conducting element parallel to the plane of the principal face of the first part of the conducting element.
[0061] According to one possibility, the distance between the additional principal face plane of the first part of the conducting element and the principal face plane of the first part of the conducting element corresponds to the thickness of the conducting element.
[0062] According to one possibility, the thickness of the first part of the conductive element is much less than the length of the first part of the conductive element and much less than the width of the first part of the conductive element.
[0063] According to this possibility, the first part of the conducting element has the shape of a rectangular cross-section blade.
[0064] According to one possibility, the thickness of the first part of the conductive element is less than 0.60 millimeters.
[0065] According to one possibility, the thickness of the first part of the conductive element is less than 0.20 millimeters.
[0066] According to one possibility, at least a portion of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element forms at least one electrical contact area intended to come into contact with a conductive element of a connector of an electronic device, when said electronic device is connected to the electronic terminal.
[0067] According to this possibility, when the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the portion of the transverse face of the second conductive element part forming at least one electrical contact area is located outside the housing. In one embodiment, the second conductive element part has an additional principal face of the second conductive element part included in a plane of the additional principal face of the second conductive element part parallel to the plane of the main face of the second conductive element part, the distance between the plane of the additional principal face of the second conductive element part and the plane of the main face of the second conductive element part corresponding to a thickness of the second conductive element part.
[0068] According to this embodiment, the additional main face of the second part of the conducting element is parallel and opposite to the main face of the second part of the conducting element.
[0069] When the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the additional main face of the second part of the conductive element is at least partly disposed through the housing opening so that the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element, and in particular the portion of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element forming at least one electrical contact area, is at least partly disposed outside the housing.
[0070] When the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the additional main face of the second part of the conductive element is also partly disposed through the housing opening so that the portion of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element intended to form an electrical contact area is disposed outside the housing.
[0071] According to one possibility, the housing opening has a housing opening length and a housing opening width that is less than the housing opening length and greater than the thickness of the second part of the conductive element.
[0072] According to this embodiment, the housing opening, which has an oblong shape, extends, over the length of the housing opening and along a main direction of the housing opening, between a first end of the housing opening and a second end of the housing opening.
[0073] According to one possibility, the width of the housing opening is intended to be slightly greater, advantageously very slightly greater, than the thickness of the second part of the conductive element.
[0074] Thanks to these provisions, the housing opening width can be reduced, since it depends only on the thickness of the second part of the conductive element. Indeed, the thinner the second part of the conductive element, the smaller the housing opening width will be.
[0075] According to one possibility, the thickness of the second part of the conductive element is less than 0.60 millimeters.
[0076] Thanks to this arrangement, the case opening width can be less than 0.900 millimeters, and advantageously between 0.825 and 0.875 millimeters.
[0077] According to yet another possibility, the thickness of the second part of the conductive element is less than 0.20 millimeters.
[0078] Thanks to this arrangement, the case opening width can be less than 0.500 millimeters, and for example advantageously between 0.373 and 0.423 millimeters.
[0079] According to one possibility, the thickness of the second part of the conductive element is approximately equal to 0.15 millimeters.
[0080] Moreover, when passing through the housing opening, and in particular when the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the second part of the conductive element obstructs at least part of the housing opening.
[0081] According to one possibility, the second part of the conductive element almost completely obstructs the housing opening.
[0082] Thanks to this feature, the risks of introducing dust and other pollution inside the casing are advantageously reduced.
[0083] According to one embodiment, the transverse face of the second part of the conducting element has a sliding slope.
[0084] According to this embodiment, the electronic terminal is configured so that an electronic device can be connected to it by sliding.
[0085] Thus, the connector of the electronic terminal is arranged to allow an electrical connection obtained by friction, and therefore an electrical contact by friction, as opposed to a connector which would be designed to allow only an electrical contact obtained by landing.
[0086] In particular, the sliding slope of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element allows the electronic device to slide against or near an external surface of the electronic terminal housing when the electronic device is connected to the terminal. Frictional electrical contact is therefore defined as electrical contact achieved by the sliding movement of an electrical device along and / or near a surface.
[0087] According to one embodiment, the transverse face of the second part of the conducting element includes an additional sliding slope.
[0088] According to this embodiment, the additional sliding slope of the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element allows the electronic device to slide against or near an external surface of the electronic terminal housing when disconnecting the electronic device from the electronic terminal.
[0089] According to one embodiment, the connector includes a battery connector.
[0090] According to this embodiment, the electronic device intended to connect to the electronic terminal is a battery, in particular a battery intended to supply the electronic terminal with electrical energy.
[0091] According to these provisions, the connector is intended to connect to a battery connector.
[0092] According to one possibility, the connector, which is intended to allow connection of a battery to the electronic terminal, comprises three identical conductive elements, and the housing comprises three identical housing openings arranged respectively to allow the passage of at least a portion of one of said three conductive elements.
[0093] According to one possibility, the conducting element is mobile in rotation between the first position of the conducting element and the second position of the conducting element and vice versa.
[0094] According to one embodiment, the connector includes a connector for an electronic chip of a smart card.
[0095] According to this embodiment, the electronic device intended to connect to the electronic terminal is a smart card comprising an electronic chip.
[0096] According to these provisions, the connector is designed to connect the electronic chip of a smart card to the smart card reader. In other words, the connector is a connector for the electronic chip of a smart card.
[0097] According to this option, the connector comprises eight identical conductive elements, and the housing comprises eight identical housing openings arranged to allow the passage of at least a portion of one of said eight conductive elements. In one option, the electrical terminal comprises a connector for an electronic chip of a smart card, and an additional connector for a battery.
[0098] According to one embodiment, the electronic terminal includes a smart card reader with a reception area arranged to accommodate a smart card.
[0099] Generally, a smart card reader is capable of receiving a smart card that includes an electronic chip containing secret or secure data, and of reading said data.
[0100] Depending on one possibility, the smart card reader is capable of receiving a bank card.
[0101] According to this possibility, the electronic terminal is an electronic payment terminal
[0102] Depending on one possibility, the smart card reader is capable of receiving a SIM card.
[0103] According to this possibility, the electronic terminal is, for example, a smartphone.
[0104] According to yet another possibility, the electronic terminal is a smart card reader.
[0105] According to one possibility, the reception area is formed by an external surface of the case.
[0106] According to these provisions, the electronic terminal housing is designed to protect at least some of the components of the smart card reader, such as an electronic card of the smart card reader.
[0107] According to one possibility, the reception area presents a flat surface included in a reception area plan and against or opposite which a smart card is intended to be placed.
[0108] According to one possibility, the reception area has a substantially rectangular shape whose dimensions are at least equal to those of a smart card intended to be received on the reception area.
[0109] When a smart card is properly received on the reception area, the electronic chip of said smart card is positioned opposite a portion of the reception area.
[0110] In one possibility, the receiving area plane is orthogonal to the main face plane of the second part of the connecting element and / or to the side face plane of the first part of the connecting element. In another possibility, the receiving area plane is parallel to the main face plane of the first part of the connecting element, particularly when the connecting element occupies the first conductive element position.
[0111] According to one possibility, when the conductive element occupies the first conductive element position, the first part of the conductive element extends mainly along a principal extension direction of the first part of the conductive element coplanar and parallel with the principal direction of case opening.
[0112] According to one possibility, the conductive element is mobile between the first conductive element position and the second conductive element position by means of a bending of the first part of the conductive element.
[0113] According to one possibility, the transverse face of the conductive element has a sliding slope arranged to allow a smart card to slide along or near the home range when a smart card is placed on the home range.
[0114] According to one possibility, the transverse face of the conductive element has an additional sliding slope arranged to allow a smart card to slide along or near the home range when a smart card is removed from the home range.
[0115] According to one embodiment, the smart card reader has a smart card slot.
[0116] According to this embodiment, a smart card can be inserted into the smart card slot, and removed from the smart card slot by sliding, in particular by means of the sliding slope and the additional sliding slope present on the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element.
[0117] According to one possibility, the smart card housing is delimited on one side by the reception area, and on the other side by a complementary wall having an internal face of complementary wall included in a plane of internal face of complementary wall parallel to the plane of reception area.
[0118] The various aspects defined above, which are not incompatible, can be combined.
[0119] Brief description of the figures
[0120] The invention will be better understood with the aid of the detailed description set forth below in relation to the following attached drawings: [Fig.1 a] represents a perspective view of a first example of an embodiment of a conductive element of a connector of an electronic terminal according to the invention.
[0121] Fig. 1b represents a partial profile view of the conducting element of Figure 1a.
[0122] Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of an example of an embodiment of a connector of an electronic device, which comprises eight conductive elements conforming to the conductive element of Figure 1a.
[0123] Fig. 3a represents a partial view of the inside of an electronic terminal including the connector of Figure 2.
[0124] Fig. 3b is a partial view of the inside of the electronic terminal in Figure 3a into which a smart card is inserted.
[0125] Figure 4a represents a partial top view of an electronic terminal according to the invention, equipped with a second example of an embodiment of a connector.
[0126] Fig. 4b is a partial perspective view of the electronic terminal connector in Figure 4a.
[0127] Fig. 4c is a side view of the connector in Figure 4b.
[0128] Detailed description
[0129] In the detailed description that will follow of the figures defined above, the same elements or identical elements may retain the same references in order to simplify the understanding of the invention.
[0130] The electronic terminal 10 is an electronic payment terminal equipped with a smart card reader, capable of reading and processing secret and confidential data from a chip of a smart card 22 (in this case a bank card), when said smart card 22 is connected to the smart card reader by being inserted into a smart card reader slot 20.
[0131] The electronic terminal 10 includes a housing 11, in this case an electrically insulating protective housing designed to enclose and protect at least some of the constituent elements of the electronic terminal 10, and a connector 12 designed to allow the connection of the smart card 22 to the smart card reader, and ultimately to the electronic terminal 10.
[0132] The smart card reader includes a receptacle 19 arranged to accommodate the smart card 22, said receptacle 19 being formed by an external surface of the housing 11. As shown in Figure 2, the receptacle mainly presents a flat surface with respect to which the smart card 22 is intended to be disposed (Figure 3b), said flat surface being included in a plane of the receptacle orthogonal to the main face plane of the second part of the conductive element and orthogonal to the lateral face plane of the first part of the conductive element.
[0133] The reception area 19, which has a substantially rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the smart card 22, forms together with an additional external surface 21 of the housing 11 a smart card slot 20 into which the smart card 22 can be inserted and / or from which the smart card 22 can be removed.
[0134] Specifically, the smart card housing is delimited on one side by the reception area 19 extending in the reception area plane, and on the other side by the additional external surface 21 of the housing 11 included in an additional external surface plane parallel to the reception area plane.
[0135] The housing 11 has eight identical housing openings 13, and a connector 12 equipped with eight identical conductive elements 14 and comprising at least one metal.
[0136] The housing opening 13 (that is, each of the eight housing openings 13) has a housing opening length L13, and a housing opening width La that is less than the housing opening length. Thus, the housing opening 13 extends over said housing length and along a principal housing opening direction, between a first housing opening end and a second housing opening end.
[0137] The conductive element 14 (that is, each of the eight conductive elements 14) comprises a first part of a conductive element 15 having a rectangular cross-sectional blade shape.
[0138] The first part of the conductive element 15 is intended to be arranged inside the housing 11, and has a length of the first part of the conductive element L15, a width of the first part of the conductive element Lais less than the length of the first part of the conductive element L15 and a thickness of the first part of the conductive element Entrés less than the length of the first part of the conductive element L15 and also much less than the width of the first part of the conductive element Lais.
[0139] Furthermore, the length of the first part of the conducting element L15 and the thickness of the first part of the conducting element E15 define a lateral face of the first part of the conducting element 15.2 contained in a lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element parallel to a longitudinal section plane of the first part of the conducting element 15. The length of the first part of the conducting element Lis and the thickness of the first part of the conducting element Eis also define an additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the lateral face of the first part of the conducting element, and therefore contained in an additional lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element parallel to the lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to the width of the first part of the conducting element Lais.
[0140] The length of the first part of the conducting element Lis and the width of the first part of the conducting element Lais define a principal face of the first part of the conducting element 15.1 contained in a principal face plane of the first part of the conducting element, and an additional principal face of the first part of the conducting element (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the principal face of the first part of the conducting element.
[0141] Specifically, the additional main face of the first part of the conducting element is contained in a plane of the additional main face of the first part of the conducting element parallel to the plane of the main face of the first part of the conducting element and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the first part of the conducting element Eis.
[0142] The conductive element 14 also includes a second part of conductive element 16 having a principal face of second part of conductive element 16.1 included in a principal face plane of second part of conductive element parallel to the lateral face plane of first part of conductive element, and an additional principal face of second part of conductive element (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the principal face of second part of conductive element 16.1.
[0143] Specifically, the additional main face of the second part of the conducting element is contained in a plane of the additional main face of the second part of the conducting element parallel to the plane of the main face of the second part of the conducting element, and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the second part of the conducting element Ei6.
[0144] The second part of the conductive element 16 also has a transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 16.2, a portion of which is intended to form an electrical contact area for the electronic chip of the smart card 22 shown in Figure 3b.
[0145] The conductive element 14 also includes a third part of a conductive element 17 intended to be embedded within the housing 11 of the electronic terminal 10. Finally, the conductive element 14 includes a fourth part of a conductive element 18 intended to be soldered onto a printed circuit of the electronic terminal 10.
[0146] As can be seen in Figures 3a and 3b, the conducting element 14 is movable between:
[0147] -A first position of conductive element (represented in figure 3a) in which the main face of the second part of conductive element 16.1 is partly disposed through the housing opening 13 so that the portion of the transverse face of the second part of conductive element intended to form an electrical contact zone is disposed outside the housing 11;
[0148] -a second conductive element position (represented in Figure 3b) occupied when a stress is exerted on the conductive element 14, the conductive element 14 being configured to return to the first conductive element position when said stress is not exerted on the conductive element 14. In particular, said stress is an external stress to the electronic terminal 10 since it is exerted by the smart card 22 when the latter is inserted into the smart card slot 20 and thus received on the receiving area 19, that is to say precisely when a part of the smart card 22 is in contact with the electrical contact area formed by the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 16.2.
[0149] As shown in Figure 3a, the conductive element 14 occupies the first conductive element position when no stress is exerted on the conductive element 14, and therefore in particular when the smart card 22 is not or is no longer inserted in the smart card slot 20.
[0150] Thus, the first position of the conductive element corresponds to a rest position, or natural position, of the conductive element 14 in which the main face plane of the first part of the connecting element is parallel to the landing area plane.
[0151] In this first conductive element position, the first part of conductive element 15 extends mainly along a principal extension direction of first part of conductive element coplanar and parallel with the principal direction of case opening.
[0152] Furthermore, since the housing opening width La is very slightly greater than the thickness of the second part of the conductive element En, the second part of the conductive element 16 extends through the housing opening 13 in such a way as to almost completely obstruct the housing opening 13, as can be seen in Figure 2.
[0153] Finally, the first position of the conductive element is such that the main face of the second part of the conductive element 16.1 fully occupies a space located at the right of the opening of the housing 13 and included between said opening of the housing 13 and the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 16.2.
[0154] In other words, there is no free space between the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 16.2, a portion of which is intended to serve as an electrical contact area, and the housing opening 13, which advantageously increases the safety and integrity of the connector.
[0155] The transverse face of the conductive element 16.2 has a sliding slope 16.3 and an additional sliding slope 16.4 respectively arranged to allow on the one hand the insertion by sliding along the reception area 19 of the smart card 22 into the smart card slot 20 and on the other hand the removal by sliding along the reception area 19 of the smart card 22 from the smart card slot 20.
[0156] The presence of the sliding slope 16.3 and the additional sliding slope 16.4 on the transverse face of the conductive element 16.2 allows for the implementation of a friction electrical contact between the smart card 22 and the connector 12 of the electronic terminal 10.
[0157] Thus, when the smart card 22 is progressively inserted into the smart card slot 20, the sliding slope 16.3 allows the smart card 20, having come into contact with the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 16.2, to slide along the home range 19 until the conductive element occupies the second conductive element position in which the smart card 22 is connected to the smart card reader of the electronic terminal 10.
[0158] As can be seen in Figure 3b, the mobility of the conductive element 14 between the first conductive element position and the second conductive element position is obtained by means of a bending of the first part of the conductive element 15, this bending being reversible: a spring effect allowing the conductive element 14 to return to the first conductive element position when the external constraint is no longer exerted on the conductive element 14, i.e. when the smart card 22 is progressively extracted from the smart card housing by sliding along the reception area 19 thanks to the additional sliding slope 16.4 which presents the transverse face of the conductive element 16.2.
[0159] The electronic terminal 30, partially shown in Figure 4a, illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. This electronic terminal 30, to which an electronic device, in this case a battery (not shown), can be connected, comprises a housing 31 with three housing openings 33, and a connector 32 for connecting a battery to the electronic terminal 30. The connector 32 comprises three identical conductive elements 34.
[0160] The conductive element 34 (i.e., each of the three conductive elements 34) comprises a first conductive element portion 35 intended to be arranged inside the housing 31 and having a first conductive element portion length L35, a first conductive element portion width La35 less than the first conductive element portion length L35 and a first conductive element portion thickness E35 much less than the first conductive element portion length L35, and much less than the first conductive element portion width La35.
[0161] The length of the first part of the conducting element L35 and the thickness of the first part of the conducting element E35 define a lateral face of the first part of the conducting element 35.2 included in a lateral face plane of the first part of the conducting element parallel to a longitudinal cutting plane of the first part of the conducting element 35.
[0162] The length of the first part of the conducting element L35 and the thickness of the first part of the conducting element E35 also define an additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the lateral face of the first part of the conducting element, and therefore included in a plane of the additional lateral face of the first part of the conducting element parallel to the plane of the lateral face of the first part of the conducting element and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to the width of the first part of the conducting element La35.
[0163] The length of the first part of the conducting element L35 and the width of the first part of the conducting element La35 define a principal face of the first part of the conducting element 35.1 contained in a principal face plane of the first part of the conducting element, and an additional principal face of the first part of the conducting element (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the principal face of the first part of the conducting element 35.1.
[0164] Specifically, the additional main face of the first part of the conductive element is contained in a plane of the additional main face of the first part of the conductive element parallel to the plane of the main face of the first part of the conductive element and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the first part of the conductive element E35.
[0165] The conductive element 34 also includes a second conductive element part 36 having a principal face of the second conductive element part 36.1 included in a principal face plane of the second conductive element part parallel to the lateral face plane of the first conductive element part, and an additional principal face of the second conductive element part (not visible in the figures) parallel and opposite to the principal face of the second conductive element part 36.1.
[0166] Specifically, the additional main face of the second part of the conductive element is contained in a plane of the additional main face of the second part of the conductive element parallel to the plane of the main face of the second part of the conductive element, and separated from the latter by a distance corresponding to a thickness of the second part of the conductive element E36.
[0167] The second part of the conductive element 36 also has a transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 36.2, a portion of which is intended to form an electrical contact area.
[0168] Furthermore, the conducting element 34 is free to rotate between:
[0169] -A first position of conductive element (represented in figures 4a to 4c) in which the main face of the second part of conductive element 36.1 is partly disposed through the housing opening 33 so that the portion of the transverse face of the second part of conductive element intended to form an electrical contact zone is disposed outside the housing 31;
[0170] -a second conductive element position (not visible in the figures) occupied when a stress is exerted on the conductive element 34, the conductive element 34 being configured to return to the first conductive element position when said stress is not exerted on the conductive element 34 thanks to an elasticity of the connecting element 34.
[0171] In particular, the said constraint is an external constraint to the electronic terminal 30 since it is exerted by a battery pressing on the conductive element 34.
[0172] The conductive element 34 occupies the first conductive element position when no stress is exerted on the conductive element 34, in particular when no battery is connected to the electronic terminal 30.
[0173] Thus, the first position of the conducting element corresponds to a rest position, or natural position, of the conducting element 34.
[0174] Finally, the first position of the conductive element is such that the main face of the second part of the conductive element 36.1 completely occupies a space located directly above the housing opening 33 and between said housing opening 33 and the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 36.2. In other words, there is no free space between the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element 36.2, a portion of which is intended to serve as an electrical contact area, and the housing opening 33, which advantageously increases the safety and integrity of the connector. The transverse face of the conductive element 36.2 has a sliding slope 36.3 and an additional sliding slope 36.4 respectively arranged to allow on the one hand the connection by sliding of a battery to the connector 32 of the electronic terminal 30, and on the other hand the disconnection by sliding of a battery previously connected to the connector 32 of the electronic terminal 30. The presence of the sliding slope 36.3 and the additional sliding slope 36.4 on the transverse face of the conductive element 36.2 allows the implementation of a friction electrical contact.
[0175] The invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures and described above, and encompasses all conceivable embodiments that can be understood by a person skilled in the art.
Claims
DEMANDS 1. Electronic terminal (10) to which an electronic device can be connected, the electronic terminal (10) comprising a housing (11) having a housing opening (13) and a connector (12) equipped with a conductive element (14), the conductive element comprising: A first part of a conductive element (15) disposed inside the housing (11) and having a length of first part of a conductive element (Lis), a width of first part of a conductive element (Lais) less than the length of first part of a conductive element (L15) and a thickness of first part of a conductive element (E15) less than the length of first part of a conductive element (L15) and less than the width of first part of a conductive element (Lais), the length of first part of a conductive element (L15) and the thickness of first part of a conductive element (E15) defining a lateral face of first part of a conductive element (15.2) included in a lateral face plane of first part of a conductive element; A second conductive element portion (16) having a principal face of the second conductive element portion (16.1) contained in a principal face plane of the second conductive element portion parallel to the lateral face plane of the first conductive element portion, and a transverse face of the second conductive element portion (16.2), at least a portion of the transverse face of the second conductive element portion 16(2) being intended to form an electrical contact zone, the conductive element (14) being movable between: A first conductive element position in which the main face of the second conductive element part (16.1) is at least partly disposed through the housing opening (13) such that the transverse face of the second conductive element part (16.2) is at least partly disposed outside the housing (11) A second conductive element position occupied when a stress is exerted on the conductive element (14), the conductive element (14) being configured to return to the first conductive element position when said stress is not exerted on the conductive element (14).
2. Electronic terminal (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive element portion (16) has an additional principal face of the second conductive element portion included in an additional principal face plane of second part of conductive element parallel to the main face plane of second part of conductive element, the distance between the additional main face plane of second part of conductive element and the main face plane of second part of conductive element corresponding to a thickness of second part of conductive element (Eie).
3. Electronic terminal (10) according to claim 2, wherein the housing opening (13) has a housing opening length (L13), and a housing opening width (La 13) less than the housing opening length (L13) and greater than the thickness of the second part of the conductive element (Eie).
4. Electronic terminal (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element (16.2) has a sliding slope (16.3).
5. Electronic terminal (10) according to claim 4, wherein the transverse face of the second part of the conductive element (16.2) comprises an additional sliding slope (16.4).
6. Electronic terminal (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector (12) includes a connector for battery.
7. Electronic terminal (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector (12) comprises a connector for an electronic chip of a smart card.
8. Electronic terminal (10) according to claim 7, the electronic terminal (10) comprising a smart card reader having a receptacle (19) arranged to accommodate a smart card (22).
9. Electronic terminal (10) according to claim 8, wherein the smart card reader has a smart card slot.